The Mysterious Happenings at the Diplomatic Conference
by Jestress
Summary: Amanda's fondness for scary stories leads her to suspect that something sinister is happening at the trade negotiations Sarek is attending.
1. Introduction

**Disclaimer:** If you don't recognize it, I probably made it up. I don't own Sarek or Amanda or the universe they inhabit. They were the creation of Gene Roddenberry and are property of his heirs. I just borrowed them for awhile and will return them at _my_ earliest convenience. :)

**Explanation:** I started this during a time when I was obsessed with both Star Trek and _Northanger Abbey_ by Jane Austen (a weird combination, I know, but still not the weirdest thing I've ever done). The novel _Northanger Abbey_ was meant as kind of a joke on old gothic novels (sort of mysteries/scary stories mixed with romance), so I decided to have my own joke by putting one in the Star Trek universe. Just for the fun of it, I included quotes from _Northanger Abbey_ at the beginning of each chapter. If you know the story of _Northanger Abbey_, you might know the general direction things are going to take, but this is really not the same story at all. It started off closer to the original story, but it's evolved since then. It still has similar themes, though.

Before anyone asks, The Ghost of Grey Tower Heights is not a real book, although it does have a plot now (a long-winded, generally corny, overly complex plot, but a plot nonetheless). Originally, it was just going to be a series of jokes based on gothic novels I've read, but it also evolved. Don't worry, you won't be required to read it all (I haven't actually written it out as a story by itself), but giving it a plot really helped Amanda's story.

Since this is a long story, I'm posting only a chapter or two at a time, although it's all been written already. Reviews are welcome and appreciated, unless you get nasty. Advice is welcome and appreciated as long as it's constructive.

**The Mysterious Happenings at the Diplomatic Conference**

By Jestress

**Dramatis Personae**

**Sarek** - Vulcan ambassador, father of Spock

**Amanda** - Sarek's wife, mother of Spock, a linguist

The Lareynians

Lareynia is a planet I made up. The people there are basically humans (gotta love the Original Series for putting humans everywhere).

**Othniel** - the king of Lareynia

**Gennadia** - the queen of Lareynia

**Liron** - the prince of Lareynia, heir apparent

**Desta** - the princess of Lareynia

**Faridil** - Prince Liron's older brother, now deceased, former heir apparent

**Rayner** - Minister of Foreign Trade on Lareynia

Other Ambassadors/Guests on Lareynia

**Ambassador Alexander Morgan** - Federation ambassador from Earth

**Andrew Betz** – Ambassador Morgan's aide, also human

**Ambassador Gavos** - Andorian ambassador

**Ambassador Rennila** - Romulan ambassador, an uninvited guest, a beautiful but cold woman

**Commander Jeznek** - Rennila's right hand man

**Ambassador Citlal** - She's an ambassador of the Hadasian people (a people I made up). Their world is largely forest, and they are covered in a light fur but with hair like human hair on their heads.

**Ambassador Phocas** - He's an ambassador of the Minali people (another people I made up). Their world is largely ocean, and they are amphibian humanoids with smooth, cool skin, and slight webbing on their fingers.


	2. Frightening Novels

**Chapter 1: Frightening Novels**

. . . provided that nothing like useful knowledge could be gained from them, provided they were all story and no reflection, she had never any objection to books at all.

- Description of Catherine Morland, heroine of _Northanger Abbey_

All was quiet in Sarek and Amanda's quarters aboard the Vulcan diplomatic ship T'Vel. Ambassador Sarek was reviewing the information his government had provided for his upcoming meeting with the Lareynian royal family. The Lareynians were mainly isolationists, but recently, the fifth planet in their solar system had been discovered to be an excellent source of dilithium. The Vulcans, the Federation, and the Andorians, as well as diplomatic envoys from other nearby planets, were meeting with the Lareynians to discuss a trade agreement. Amanda, meanwhile, was absorbed in reading a novel.

After awhile, Sarek's eyes were beginning to tire, and he decided that it might be good for him to stretch his legs. As he pushed his chair back, the legs scraped the floor and made a screeching noise. Amanda gasped and jumped in her chair.

"Are you alright, Amanda?" Sarek asked with some concern. She was breathing harder than normal, and she had put a hand to her chest.

Amanda gave a little giggle that Sarek had long ago learned was a sign of human embarrassment. "You just startled me, that's all," Amanda said. "I had just reached a rather . . . tense passage in my book."

Curiously, Sarek looked at the title of the book his wife was reading. It was called The Ghost of Grey Tower Heights. Sarek relaxed, understanding the situation. That is, he understood the source of his wife's jumpiness, not her reasons for inducing it.

"I thought that you were doing research for your project on the similarities between Vulcan and Romulan dialects," Sarek said.

"I was taking a break and refreshing myself by reading something else," Amanda said.

"I do not understand why you wish to read novels which frighten you, Amanda," he said. "It is not logical to read things which have no intellectual value and which cause you distress."

"They're exciting," Amanda insisted, "and I enjoy the surprising twists in the story."

"They encourage you to have nightmares," Sarek pointed out, as he had done more than once before. "You will not be able to sleep well tonight."

"They don't always give me nightmares," Amanda said. "Besides, sometimes it is fun to be scared, particularly when I have my logical husband there to reassure me." Amanda extended her fingers toward Sarek in the Vulcan gesture of affection. Sarek gave her one of the small smiles that he showed only to her and brushed his fingers against hers.

"I wish to take a walk around the ship," he said. "Would you like to join me?"

"I think I would like to read my book a little more," Amanda said. "I've gotten to an exciting part, and I want to see what happens next."

"You will not be too frightened to be here on your own?" Sarek asked in a serious tone. "And you will not suffer too great a shock when I return?"

Amanda, knowing that he was teasing her, said, "I will not be too frightened, and I will try not to be startled when you come back."

True to her word, Amanda did not jump in fright or faint when Sarek rejoined her in their quarters. In fact, she had nodded off to sleep while reading. Gently, Sarek pulled the book from her hands and woke Amanda so that she could get ready to go to bed.

That night, Amanda did have a nightmare, just as Sarek had predicted. Being an experienced husband, Sarek knew better than to remind her that he had warned her about this, but merely played his part as her Comforter and soothed her back to sleep. Before going back to sleep himself, Sarek wondered why his wife insisted on reading those frightening novels.


	3. A Diplomatic Reception

**Chapter 2: A Diplomatic Reception**

"We can tempt you neither by amusement nor splendour, for our mode of living, as you see, is plain and unpretending; yet no endeavours shall be wanting on our side to make Northanger Abbey not wholly disagreeable."

- General Tilney, inviting Catherine Morland to visit their home in _Northanger Abbey_

Amanda had been to many diplomatic receptions since she married Sarek, and she knew all the different types. There were formal ones and informal ones, fascinating ones with many interesting conversationalists, and even wild ones, like the one on Avani VII. The memory of that one made Amanda smile, although it was one of Sarek's least favorite memories due to the nature of some of the parlor games in which they were required to participate. (Parlor games were not a part of Vulcan culture to begin with, and what the people on Avani VII considered "parlor games" caused some embarrassment even to the humans present. To save Sarek's sanity and dignity, Amanda had developed a sudden attack of "migraine" so they could escape.) Unfortunately, this day's event seemed to be turning into one of the most boring receptions that Amanda had ever attended.

A trio of musicians played traditional Lareynian songs from the upper gallery of the palace ballroom, but it wasn't the sort of music that anyone could dance to, and one of the annoying facets of Lareynian traditional music was the ringing of a loud gong at regular intervals. The ringing echoed through the room and interrupted conversations. Amanda saw Sarek wince slightly the first time the gong rang, so she knew that it must have bothered his sensitive ears even more than hers. However, Sarek was nothing if not self-controlled, and he was careful not to show any further reaction to the gong so that his hosts would not be offended.

Sarek made polite conversation with Rayner, the Lareynian Minister of Foreign Trade, and Prince Liron, heir apparent to the Lareynian throne. They had started by discussing some of the history of the royal family and the palace, which was somewhat interesting, but the conversation was now limping along on casual remarks about the architecture, a topic which obviously held no interest for the prince and with which Rayner was only passably familiar.

Amanda stood nearby, holding a drink in her hand. She had spent the last hour looking pleasant at Sarek's side, but she was beginning to tire. As far as she could tell, none of the conversations in the room had progressed past the opening small talk stage, and no one had said more to Amanda than the introductory "Pleased to meet you."

Amanda slowly detached herself from Sarek and moved across the room to get a fresh drink from the buffet table. Sarek did not stop her, so he must have sensed her boredom and her need to stretch her legs.

Two of the Vulcan guards who had accompanied their party kept an eye on her as she crossed the room and looked out into the garden. No matter where they traveled on Sarek's missions or how peaceful those missions were likely to be, Sarek always ordered a couple of guards to keep an eye on Amanda and make sure that she was safe. At Amanda's request, these guards always stayed a discreet distance away from her, except during times of real danger. She could appreciate Sarek's concern for her, but she felt more comfortable when she did not have guards hovering over her constantly.

The gardens were in full bloom, and Amanda decided to step outside for a moment and get a breath of fresh air. As she stepped outside onto the terrace, her guards moved to stand just inside the doors to continue watching her. Amanda ignored them and focused instead on the view of the gardens and the sweet-scented breeze that blew across the terrace. She took a deep breath and sighed. Lareynia was really a lovely planet. It was too bad that their diplomatic receptions were so stuffy.

The stone benches in the garden below looked inviting, and Amanda wished that she had brought a book with her. In fact, this would have been the perfect place to read The Ghost of Grey Tower Heights. The gardens even reminded her a little of the gardens at the old manor house described in the book.

Idly, Amanda reflected on the last chapter that she had read the night before. She was dying to know what secrets the wicked Romilda kept in the trunk in her room or whether Cecily would learn whom she had heard crying in the middle of the night. As delicate blue blossoms floated down from the trees in the garden, Amanda pictured Cecily with the gallant young Prosper, who had captured her heart. The one thing Amanda was most sure of was that their love would triumph, even in spite of the machinations of the sinister Lord Eustace.

Most of the time, Amanda's scholarly research in linguistics required her to read serious works, but once in a while, she couldn't help but return to the gothic romances that she had loved when she was young. Reading them was like the literary equivalent of getting a breath of fresh air after spending time in stuffy receptions (even if they were useful and important to her husband's work).

As Amanda leaned on the railing of the terrace, she heard faint voices from below, interrupting her thoughts.

"I think he knows!" said the voice of a frantic young woman. "I don't want to cause any trouble for you!"

"There is no trouble," a young man said soothingly. "Even if he knows, there isn't much he could do about it."

Amanda was concerned. It sounded as though someone were distressed about something. Even though she knew that she shouldn't be eavesdropping, she leaned over the railing a little more, trying to see who it was. Unfortunately, her view was obscured by some branches. Whoever the two people were, they had dropped their voices, and Amanda could no longer hear them well.

Suddenly, Amanda heard someone speak her name. Starting slightly, she turned around. It was one of the Vulcan guards.

"It is not safe to lean over so far, Lady Amanda," he said gravely. "Ambassador Sarek requests your presence inside."

Nodding, Amanda accompanied the guard back into the ballroom. Sarek was now speaking to King Othniel, Queen Gennadia, and Alexander Morgan, the Federation Ambassador.

"This is she who is my wife," Sarek said as Amanda arrived.

King Othniel gave a half bow to her, and Ambassador Morgan nodded cordially.

"It is a pleasure to see you again, Lady Amanda," Ambassador Morgan said. She and Sarek had met Morgan before at other diplomatic functions.

Queen Gennadia greeted her warmly, saying, "I am so pleased to meet you, Lady Amanda. Languages are a hobby of mine, and I have read some of your work. I would like to talk to you sometime about your travels as well."

"I would like that, Your Majesty," Amanda said.

"Most charming," King Othniel commented. "I was just saying to your husband that I would be honored if you and the other ambassadors would be my guests here at the palace during these negotiations. We have plenty of room for all of you, and it would be an excellent opportunity for everyone to get to know each other better."

"We would be honored to be your guests, Your Majesty," Sarek said.

"Indeed," Amanda said in a more enthusiastic tone. "The palace and its grounds are beautiful, and I am sure that we would be very comfortable here."

"I am also looking forward to staying in your beautiful palace," Gavos, the Andorian ambassador, said. "It is a place rich in history."

King Othniel beamed at the ambassador, and Rayner, hearing one of his favorite subjects mentioned, hurried over to join the conversation.

Ambassador Phocas also joined the group, saying, "I am honored to once again be a guest of Your Majesties, although I am still saddened by the events of last year."

Sad, pained looks crossed the faces of the king and queen. Rayner just looked angry.

"If you are so saddened, perhaps –" Rayner started to say in a tight voice.

"I trust that this visit will be more pleasant for all of us," the king interrupted in a quiet but firm tone. "We appreciate your presence here."

Rayner looked like he wanted to say something more, but before he could, there was a disturbance just outside the main doors to the ballroom. Guards hurried to stand near the royal family and the ambassadors in case danger was coming. The doors burst open, and a small party of Romulans entered, led by an angry-looking man with a commander's insignia and a woman in a long, black gown. The woman wore a necklace and earrings set with fiery red gems and a haughty expression.

"King Othniel," the woman said with authority, "I am Ambassador Rennila of the Romulan Empire. I am here on behalf of the Empire to complain about our exclusion from these trade talks."

"I mean no offense to the Romulan Empire, Ambassador Rennila," King Othniel said with raised eyebrows, holding out his hands in a placating gesture.

"You have dealings with the Romulan Empire?" Ambassador Morgan asked softly, with a look of suspicion in his eyes.

"Twenty years ago, you signed a treaty of non-aggression with the Empire," Ambassador Rennila said. "At that time, you indicated that you would welcome friendship with the Empire and promised that you would include us in future negotiations. Now, we find that you invite our enemies to important trade negotiations and exclude us."

"We were approached by the Federation with an offer to establish trade relations," King Othniel said. "Our agreement with you does not preclude trade with them. No offense was intended, but we did not believe that the Romulan Empire would be interested in taking part in negotiations with the Federation."

"On the contrary," Ambassador Rennila said with a smile, "we would be most interested in taking part. Surely, you wouldn't want to jeopardize our excellent relations by refusing our request?"

King Othniel seemed to struggle with himself for a moment, but then he smiled thinly and said, "Of course, you would be most welcome. Please, stay with us here at the palace."

"I will require rooms for myself, Commander Jeznek," Rennila said, indicating the man who stood beside her, "and the rest of our party."

To Amanda, Rennila sounded like she was making reservations at some sort of resort. There was no trace of apology in her voice for interrupting an event that she had not been invited to. However, King Othniel sent for a couple of servants to prepare rooms for the Romulan ambassador and her party.

Amanda studied the Romulan party uneasily. The reception had become more interesting, but not in a good way.


	4. A Walk in the Garden

**Chapter 3: A Walk in the Garden**

"I am delighted with the book! I should like to spend my whole life in reading it. I assure you, if it had not been to meet you, I would not have come away from it for all the world."

- Catherine Morland in _Northanger Abbey_

Following the afternoon's reception, all of the ambassadors were shown to their quarters, ostensibly to rest. Amanda, however, knew that none of them would be resting. The Federation ambassadors retired to Ambassador Morgan's quarters to discuss the Romulan development and the influence that it would have on the trade negotiations. Sarek requested, well, technically ordered Amanda to stay in their quarters and rest until dinner. Amanda did not mind. Their rooms in the palace had a wonderful view of the gardens, and Amanda could read there in peace.

Really, this room was as good a place to read The Ghost of Grey Tower Heights as the terrace would be. A room like this one would not be out of place at Grey Tower Heights, the ancient manor house where the young Cecily had come to live with her cousin Romilda following the sudden death of her father. The canopied bed was hung with heavy purple curtains, and there was an old-fashioned fireplace in both the bedroom and the sitting room next door. The palace had been in use long before artificial climate control. The walls were decorated with tapestries.

There must be some story behind the tapestries, Amanda thought, but it was difficult to tell what it was. There were scenes of plants and animals and boats and what appeared to be a large group of people dancing with one lone person watching as though he were confused or maybe disapproving. Well, she could always ask someone later as a topic of small talk.

The sitting room attached to the bedroom was comfortably furnished with more tapestries decorating the walls. There was a small balcony off of the sitting room and a window seat which also had a good view of the garden. There was a bookcase in the room, but at the moment, The Ghost of Grey Tower Heights held Amanda's full attention.

Amanda settled down on the comfortable window seat to read. She had only finished one more chapter of her book before she received an unexpected visitor, let in by the guards who stood sentinel outside her door. Queen Gennadia had called on Amanda to invite her on a tour of the palace and its grounds.

"I'm pleased to see you again, Your Majesty," Amanda said, rising from her seat as the queen entered the room.

"I thought you might be lonely here," Queen Gennadia said with a gentle smile. "I know all the others are having a conference about the . . . our Romulan guests, and I thought that you and I might keep each other company."

"I would be happy to have some company," Amanda said, although it was only partly true since she was dying to find out who the figure dressed in white that Cecily had seen on the stairs could have been. "Minister Rayner was telling me and my husband some of the palace's history this afternoon. Tell me, is there a story behind the tapestries in this room, Your Majesty?"

"Yes," Queen Gennadia said, "they are all part of a long epic called The Trials of Ullandar, a hero from ancient mythology. You can't really tell what the story is just by looking at the tapestries here. There are many others throughout the palace with other scenes on them. But, I wouldn't bother much with the story. As I said, it's very long, and the battle scenes are described in tedious detail. I hated having to learn it when I was a child."

Amanda laughed and said, "I have to admit, Your Majesty, that it was the scene with the dancers that I was most curious about. At least, the people looked like they were dancing."

"Please, call me Gennadia," the queen said. "I'd like us to be friends. You are right, they are dancing. It's supposed to be a dancing contest. That is one of the funnier parts of the story. Actually, I think it may be the only funny part in the story."

"The palace is such a fascinating place," Amanda said.

"Indeed," Queen Gennadia said. "When I first arrived here, I was daunted at the size of it. I grew up at my clan's stronghold on the northern continent, which is not nearly as big. The gardens did make me feel at home, though. They reminded me a little of the woods near my homeland."

"Oh, yes, they are beautiful," Amanda agreed. "I would love to see more of them." The two women decided to begin the tour there.

From the time they left Amanda's room, Amanda knew that she was being followed by the Vulcan guards. As always, they tried to be discreet, but when she glanced behind her, there they were.

Queen Gennadia took little notice of them, and when she caught Amanda glancing behind her again, she said, "Don't worry about them. I'm used to having guards around. There are some patrolling the edges of the garden even now. I often forget that they are there."

Amanda sighed, "I know that they are necessary for the sake of security, but I still don't like the feeling of being followed."

"Forget about them," Gennadia said as they descended the steps from the terrace to the garden. "Think about the garden. There are some beautiful flowers over this way."

The flowers in the garden were beautiful, and not all of them were from Lareynia. Amanda recognized roses from Earth, creeping vines from Rigel IV, and even a rare Night Bloom from Vulcan.

"We have other plants from Vulcan in our hothouse," Queen Gennadia said.

Amanda found that amusing because, after so many years on Vulcan, she had become used to the idea that insulated houses were necessary to keep plants cool, not warm. Keeping plants warm on Vulcan was never a problem.

Near the center of the garden, there was a small pond with a waterfall. The stream leading to the little waterfall, Amanda knew, fed off of the Tirtam River that flowed near the palace. She and Sarek had seen it from their shuttlecraft when they first arrived. Flowering trees towered over them, shedding brilliant yellow blossoms into the water.

"How beautiful!" Amanda said dreamily. "Those flowers look just like little boats, don't they?" She watched as some of them drifted toward the edge of the waterfall and then tumbled into the pond below.

The queen was silent, and when Amanda turned to look at her, she was surprised to see tears running down her face. Queen Gennadia hurriedly wiped them from her cheeks when she saw Amanda watching her and said briskly, "Let's go back inside now."

Amanda took one more glance at the pond before following her hostess back into the palace. The queen didn't seem to want to explain anything to her, and Amanda wasn't sure that she should ask. Still, she wished she knew what she had said or done wrong.


	5. Dinner with Romulans

**Chapter 4: Dinner with Romulans**

. . . from politics, it was an easy step to silence.

- _Northanger Abbey_

Queen Gennadia was polite and friendly as she gave Amanda a tour through the rest of the palace. She showed Amanda the palace library, the gallery of paintings of past kings and queens, and even her own private music room. Although she answered all of Amanda's questions about the palace, something in her manner told Amanda that questions about her tears in the garden were not welcome.

"At least, if it was something I said, she doesn't seem to be holding a grudge," Amanda thought when Queen Gennadia invited her to join her for another walk tomorrow. Amanda told her that she would be happy to join her. Then, she returned to her own quarters, where she was sure that Sarek would be waiting for her. As it happened, he wasn't, so she read a little more in her book and had a nap while she waited for him to come back.

He returned about half an hour before dinner, which gave him just enough time to get dressed for the evening and ask Amanda how her day went. There wasn't much need for Amanda to ask Sarek about his day. She knew as well as he did that the Romulans would make the trade agreement problematic and that the other ambassadors would all be watching them very closely throughout dinner, trying to size them up before they would have to face them at the negotiations the next day.

As they dressed for dinner, Amanda told Sarek about her walk with the queen.

"She seemed quite friendly," Amanda said. "I just don't understand why she seemed so upset when we were looking at the pond. She tried to pretend like nothing happened, but I know she was crying."

Sarek, although often puzzled by emotional outbursts, knew as a diplomat the importance of learning about a person's history in order to understand their actions. Therefore, he was able to use his knowledge to surmise the probable reason for the queen's distress.

"You said that she seemed upset when you compared the flowers in the water to little boats?" he asked Amanda.

"That's right," Amanda said, turning her back so that Sarek could help her with the buttons on her long evening gown.

"Then, I believe she was distressed because you inadvertently reminded her of the death of her eldest son, Prince Faridil," Sarek said as he fastened the buttons on Amanda's dress. His voice was soft, neither chiding Amanda for accidentally upsetting the queen nor sad for the queen's loss. He was simply reporting the facts. "He was killed in a boating accident 0.87 standard years ago. Ambassador Morgan was present on Lareynia at the time of his death, and he reported that the prince was boating on the Tirtam River when it was running higher and faster than usual due to excessive rainfall the day before. Ignoring warnings that the condition of the river was too hazardous for boating, he went out anyway, found that the current was too strong for him to steer his boat to his usual docking point, and was carried over the Glyndwarr Falls to his death."

"How horrible!" Amanda said. "I'm sorry that I reminded the queen of it."

"I do not believe that she will hold it against you," Sarek said gently as he fastened the last button and turned Amanda back around to face him. "She would not expect you to know the exact circumstances of her son's death. Are you ready to go down to dinner?"

They made their way down to the dining room, accompanied by their Vulcan guards. With the Romulans present, they would be guarded even more closely than usual.

When everyone was present in the dining room, they were shown to their seats. In keeping with Lareynian custom, the ladies were seated first. Amanda sat between Sarek and Ambassador Citlal. Ambassador Citlal was from Hadasia, a largely forested world from a system near Lareynia. She was present because, whatever the Lareynians decided, her people would have to allow trade ships through their territory. Like all her kind, Ambassador Citlal was covered in a light fur from head to toe, although she had a longer, thicker mane of light brown hair.

Amanda was grateful that she didn't have to sit near Ambassador Phocas from Minali. The Minali people were amphibian humanoids. Ambassador Phocas's skin was smooth and damp-looking, and he had a slight webbing on his fingers. His table manners, like those of all diplomats, were impeccable, but the way his skin resembled that of a frog made Amanda vaguely nervous. Fortunately, Lareynian custom held that women should sit next to relatives or other women.

Princess Desta, who had not been at the earlier reception for some reason, was seated next to her brother, Prince Liron. She smiled shyly at Ambassador Morgan's aide, Andrew Betz, who sat across from her, and seemed determined to ignore Ambassador Rennila, who sat on her other side.

Near the head of the table, where the king and queen sat, were Ambassador Morgan and Ambassador Rennila. They were each trying to monopolize the attentions of the royal family, while the king and queen just focused on their dinner and did their best to look as if they were listening.

Across from Amanda was Ambassador Gavos. Like all Andorians, he was blue and had an air of supreme self-assurance. He didn't consider Amanda worth his attention, so he focused on the conversation between Sarek and Prince Liron. Prince Liron, who sat across from Sarek, was a good-looking young man, although Amanda had the sense that he was a little brash. He commented out loud to Sarek that it was a terrible inconvenience that the Romulans had come unexpectedly, even though the Romulan ambassador was sitting just two chairs away.

Ambassador Rennila acted as if she had not heard, although she commented, equally loudly, "Romulus is grateful for the friendship and hospitality of Lareynia. Indeed, coming here, I feel almost like a member of the family."

Prince Liron glowered at her.

"It is my hope that when these talks are over, the situation will be resolved to everyone's satisfaction," Sarek said without a trace of emotion. It was one of those neutral phrases that diplomats regularly employ when a blunt statement of their views would do more harm than good. Amanda knew that, deep down, Sarek disapproved of these meaningless words, but he still used them when necessary.

Ambassador Gavos said, "I have high hopes that will be so, Sarek."

"But perhaps this discussion would be more appropriate later," Ambassador Citlal said gently. "For now, it is enough for us to simply get to know one another and enjoy a fine meal. How is your fish, Phocas?"

"Delicious," Ambassador Phocas said, daintily nibbling at a raw fish complete with scales and head. Amanda looked away. He may have been using his knife and fork correctly, but it really didn't help. It was at times like this that she was happy that she had married a vegetarian.

"I have made arrangements for our talks to begin tomorrow morning, directly after breakfast," King Othniel said, "which will be served in your rooms."

Amanda silently cheered that she would not have to see Phocas eating first thing in the morning.

"I suggest that you all use the rest of the evening to settle into your rooms and prepare for tomorrow," he added. "The library is at your disposal whenever you wish."

The rest of the meal finished with relatively little conversation. Both the Romulan and Federation ambassadors had realized that any attempts to sway the royal family that night were futile and that they might as well save their best arguments and negotiating tactics for the next day.

Prince Liron seemed to forget at least part of his irritation when Gavos brought up the subject of outdoor activities. Gavos believed in keeping active no matter where his occupation brought him, and Liron, being a keen outdoorsman himself, knew all the best places to go for hikes. When he mentioned a good spot up the river for fishing, Phocas eagerly joined in the conversation. Amanda just glanced down at her half-eaten meal and wished that dinner would end soon.

Later, Amanda had a snack from the emergency supply of food that she always brought with her on Sarek's diplomatic missions. This evening's dinner wasn't the worst that she had ever attended. When traveling to other planets, one never knew what kind of food might be available or considered a delicacy, so Amanda had learned to carry some snacks with her just in case.

Some servant had lit fires in both the bedroom and sitting room fireplaces, giving the rooms an old-fashioned, cozy cheerfulness. Amanda hadn't seen a fireplace with a fire in it since the last time she had celebrated Christmas with her grandparents back on Earth. Even Sarek appreciated the aesthetic quality of the fire (not to mention the extra warmth since Lareynia was much cooler than Vulcan) and settled down in a chair in the sitting room to make some notes for the next day. Amanda decided to read in the bedroom for awhile.

In her book, the heroine, Cecily, was now exploring the forbidden wing of the mansion. The only light she had came from a single flickering candle. As she tried one door after another only to find them all locked, she heard crying at the end of the hallway. Amanda gripped the book tightly as she accompanied Cecily through the darkness, toward the source of the crying . . .

SLAM! Amanda jumped and dropped the book, laughing to herself when she realized that it was only a door slamming in the hall outside. She wondered which of the ambassadors, perhaps in a snit over the Romulans or some difference of opinion with the others, had taken out his frustrations on the door.

Amanda leaned down to get the book, and as she stood up, was surprised to see flickering lights in the garden outside the window. She blinked and opened the window to get a better look. The lights were still there, heading toward each other. Then, they disappeared. In spite of the images in her mind from reading The Ghost of Grey Tower Heights, Amanda knew that what she saw couldn't have been candles or lanterns. To be that bright, they must have been flashlights of some kind. But whose were they, and what made them flicker like that?

"Amanda?" Sarek asked as he entered their bedroom. "What are you doing?"

"I thought I saw something outside the window," Amanda said. "People with flashlights, I think." She looked outside again, but the lights were gone. She shut the window against the chill night air.

"It was probably security guards patrolling the grounds," Sarek said.

"Yes, I suppose so," Amanda said. The lights had made her a little uneasy, but she wasn't sure why. "What do you think of these talks? Will the Romulans pose much of a threat?"

"I believe that the royal family is not predisposed to deal with the Romulans," Sarek said. "King Othniel is distressed at their arrival. He had hoped to keep the negotiations as private as possible. Once news of the dilithium discovery in this system spreads, there will be many offers to trade for it, and certain groups may attempt to mine it illegally. The king particularly wishes to deal with the Federation and its allies. He has been trying to improve his relations with the Federation in recent years. I understand that the Lareynian non-aggression treaty with the Romulans was designed to protect certain of their colonies close to Romulan space, but the Lareynians have not had many dealings with the Romulans since then."

"So, you think that the Lareynians will favor the Federation over the Romulans?" Amanda asked with some relief.

"Perhaps, although they will also be concerned that they not anger the Romulans in order to maintain the safety of their colonies. We will be better able to tell tomorrow," Sarek replied. "Now, we should get some rest."

As Amanda settled into bed beside her Vulcan husband, she did her best to put all thought of Romulans, Queen Gennadia's dead son, and mysterious lights out of her mind. Although, there was something compelling about the lights. Sarek was probably right in saying that they were caused by palace guards making their usual rounds, but it was exciting to think that they might be something else, almost like something from one of her books. She glanced around the darkened room, the last flames of the dying fire casting weird shadows across the ancient tapestries. Amanda gave a delighted little shiver, which Sarek interpreted as a sign that she was cold. He put his arm around her and pulled the blankets closer. Amanda drifted off to sleep with visions of conspiracies and secret rendezvous dancing in her head.


	6. A Favorite Place

**Chapter 5: A Favorite Place**

"I used to walk here so often with her!" added Eleanor; "though I never loved it then, as I have loved it since."

- _Northanger Abbey_, Eleanor Tilney is talking about a place she used to visit with her mother, who is now dead

The next day, Queen Gennadia seemed a little more cheerful, but also a little apologetic, when she met Amanda for the promised walk.

"Let's go this way," the queen said. "There is a part of the garden I haven't shown you yet. I must apologize for my mood yesterday. You see, my son died a little less than a year ago, and sometimes, when I think of him . . ." She faltered slightly.

"I understand," Amanda said soothingly. "You needn't talk about it, if it makes you sad."

"It's all right," Queen Gennadia said. "It doesn't hurt as much as it did before, and it helps sometimes to talk about it. I understand that you are also a mother."

"Yes," Amanda said. "I have a grown son. He is in Starfleet."

"You must worry about him sometimes," Queen Gennadia said.

Amanda laughed. "I worry about him all the time. I always have."

Queen Gennadia smiled slightly. "Boys always like to do dangerous things. They think it makes them more manly. Faridil was always like that. One day, he went out on the river in his boat. That day, the river was dangerous. Everyone told him not to go, even Ambassador Morgan and Ambassador Gavos. But he was stubborn and went anyway, and he was killed."

"Ambassador Gavos was here when it happened?" Amanda asked.

"Yes, he and Ambassador Morgan were discussing trade in minerals with my husband at the time. This was before the dilithium was discovered, of course. Even though dilithium wasn't among the minerals listed in the earlier trade agreement, my husband knew that the Federation would be interested in trading for the dilithium and contacted the ambassadors after it was discovered in our system."

"I suppose Ambassador Citlal and Ambassador Phocas must have been here too, then," Amanda mused. It made sense, since the issues under discussion were similar. Strange that these people would all find themselves back here about a year after the tragedy. Plus her and Sarek and the Romulans.

"Yes, they were, I believe. Although, I wasn't here myself," Queen Gennadia said. "I was visiting my brother's family at the time. I came back when I received the news. I wish I had been here. But, enough of this talk. Let me show you something special. I haven't been here in quite awhile. It was one of my son's favorite places, but I'd like to show it to you. It's beautiful."

Amanda followed the queen down a winding, sloping path with many little twists and turns. The terrain was a little rough, although steps had been carved into it to help make the descent a little smoother. Amanda glanced up at the building and realized that she could see the window of her bedroom from where she stood. The lights that she had seen the night before must have come from around here. No wonder they had flickered; with all the turns and bumps and steps to go down in the pathway, there was no way whoever carried the flashlights could keep them steady.

"Down here," Queen Gennadia said. Amanda followed her down the stone steps into a shady grotto. The walls were smooth and shiny, set with different-colored stones. Long ferns hung down around the entrance. The queen sat down on a stone bench and motioned for Amanda to join her. The two of them sat quietly for awhile, enjoying a cool breeze that blew through the grotto.

"My children and I have always had a fondness for this place. I often used to bring them here to play when they were young," Queen Gennadia said. "If only Faridil had come here instead of going out in his boat. He always liked to do that, especially when he was thinking about something."

"Thinking about what?" Amanda asked gently.

"I don't know," Queen Gennadia said, shaking her head. "I think something about the earlier trade talks upset him. Perhaps he had argued with Ambassador Citlal again. Liron told me that the two of them often seemed to quarrel. I guess that's why I'm having so much trouble getting it out of my mind, all of them back here again . . ."

Amanda said gently, "I know, it's a terrible thing to lose a child. It's a thing every mother dreads. But, I'm sure everything will be better once the talks are over."

"I just have this terrible feeling . . ." the queen insisted.

"Oh! Mother, I'm sorry, I thought you were alone," Prince Liron said, interrupting their conversation.

"It's all right, Liron," the queen said. "I was just showing Amanda the grotto. Would you like to join us?"

"Actually, I was hoping to talk to you alone," Liron said, glancing at Amanda.

"I should be getting back to my work now," Amanda said. "Thank you for showing me more of the gardens, Your Majesty."

"Would you like us to accompany you back to the palace?" the queen asked.

"No, thank you," Amanda replied. "I will be fine on my own."

Of course, Amanda knew that she wouldn't really be alone. The queen probably also noticed the two Vulcan shadows that watched them from a distance as they strolled the palace grounds, just as they had the day before. Faithful to Amanda's requests, they were keeping their distance and not interfering with Amanda's activities. Sometimes, Amanda had even started to forget they were there, just as Gennadia had told her to, but then she would catch a glimpse of them following behind her.

She sometimes wondered if following her was one of their most boring assignments. Nothing she did was terribly interesting, and no one had ever attacked her, so she never really needed defending. On the other hand, her request that they not follow her too closely or be too visible did add some challenge to the task. Not that Vulcans would take boredom into account when it came to their duties.

Amanda's ruminations were interrupted when she saw Andrew Betz coming toward her along the path. He hadn't seen her yet. He was walking with his head down, slightly bent over, as if he was searching for something.

"Need any help?" Amanda asked.

Betz started slightly. "Oh, no, I'm fine," he said, grinning at her. "I lost something around here earlier. I was just looking for it."

"What did you lose?"

"An old ring my father gave me," Betz said. "It's kind of a family heirloom. It's always been a bit loose on me. It must have slipped off."

"Are you sure you lost it around here?" Amanda asked.

"Pretty sure," Betz said, poking around some flowers beside the path. "I've already searched my room."

At that moment, Princess Desta came down the path toward them.

"Princess -" Betz started to say.

"Lady Amanda, have you seen my mother?" Princess Desta asked, ignoring Betz.

"Yes, she is down this path, in the grotto, Your Highness" Amanda explained.

"Thank you," she replied and started off again without another word or even a glance at Betz. Betz stared after her and bit his lip.

"I could help you search for your ring, if you'd like," Amanda offered again.

"No, it's alright," Betz said. "I don't want to keep you."

"Well, I hope you find it," Amanda said.

"Thanks," Betz said, walking onward with his head down.

Amanda continued back to her room with the occasional backwards glance at Betz. When had he been out in the gardens? Most of the time, he was at Ambassador Morgan's side, and he had been occupied with the negotiations for most of his visit. Not that it was any of her business, but she was curious. Then, the thought occurred to her that if Betz had time to look for his ring, the talks must be over, at least for awhile. If the talks were over for the moment, then Sarek might also have returned to their room.

Unfortunately, when Amanda reached their quarters, Sarek wasn't there. She decided to make use of the time to get a little work done. Amanda managed to put in an hour of work on her linguistics project before Sarek arrived.

While they had a quiet lunch in their room, Sarek talked about the negotiations. The Romulan presence had slowed things down considerably and had made all the other ambassadors edgy.

"Surprisingly, Prince Liron has been avoiding the negotiations," Sarek said. "As the heir to the throne, he should be there. Even his father didn't seem to know where he was this morning."

"I know where he was at least part of the time," Amanda said, telling Sarek about his visit to the gardens to see his mother. "I don't know what he wanted to talk to her about or why it couldn't wait until after the talks were over. Do you think it's significant?"

"If he neglects his duties, it would not be good for his planet. He may not be accustomed to his duties as the heir apparent, but now that his older brother is gone, he will have to learn," Sarek noted. "What he discussed with his mother may have no bearing on the issue at hand, although I would be interested to know what was so pressing that he did not think it could wait."

Since neither of them could answer the question, they continued with lunch and went back to their separate activities afterward. Amanda continued working on her project for most of the afternoon, only allowing herself a few pages of The Ghost of Grey Tower Heights as a short break.

The evening meal was another formal dinner with varying degrees of uneasiness, hostility, and resentment on all sides and yet more raw fish for Ambassador Phocas. Fortunately, the seating arrangements had been shifted a little, and Amanda was seated further down the table from him than she had been before. Instead, she found herself between Sarek and Queen Gennadia. In fact, if it weren't for the queen's friendly chatter with Amanda, the table would have been practically silent.


	7. Dangerous Games

**Chapter 6: Dangerous Games**

"To be always firm must be to be often obstinate. When properly to relax is the trial of judgment . . ."

- Henry Tilney in _Northanger Abbey_

After dinner, Sarek told Amanda that he was going to have a word with Ambassador Morgan and suggested that she return to their room. Amanda agreed since it would give her some extra time to read her book. The figure in white had appeared again, and although Romilda had openly mocked her for imagining such things, Amanda suspected that Cecily was correct in believing that Romilda had seen it, too. Perhaps Romilda even knew who it was. Could the ghostly figure be the one who was crying? It was a possibility, although Amanda had other suspicions.

Settled comfortably in her chair, Amanda followed Cecily through a ball scene where Cecily met secretly with her lover Prosper, endured the malicious gossip of Romilda, and dodged the odious attentions of Lord Eustace. That night, after the ball, Cecily again heard the crying and was going to see who it was when Amanda's reading was interrupted by a servant who came to say that Sarek was attending a gathering in the sitting room attached to Ambassador Morgan's suite and that she would be welcome to join them.

Putting aside her book, Amanda made her way to Ambassador Morgan's suite, followed by her usual escort. She wasn't in much of a hurry. The palace was really beautiful, and she was happy to have a reason to wander the halls alone for awhile. Well, almost alone. Her guards were still following discreetly, at a leisurely pace that matched her own. She ignored them, and focused on the paintings on the walls.

It was easy for Amanda to imagine that the paintings in the halls were like those in the gallery at Grey Tower Heights. The faces of past royalty watched her from the walls, and Amanda thought of the ghostly face of Cecily's father, which Cecily had seen outside the library window one night. Speaking of the library, the palace library wasn't very far away. Queen Gennadia had told her that she was welcome to use it. It wouldn't take long for her to take another look at it as she passed by and see if there were any interesting books.

As she approached the door to the library, she heard voices from inside. Amanda wasn't entirely sure what made her stop and listen. She wasn't usually in the habit of eavesdropping. Maybe it was the lack of interesting conversation at dinner or maybe all the gothic novels had really been a bad influence on her. Whatever the reason, Amanda found herself staring at a landscape painting directly across from the library door while actually paying more attention to the voices coming from inside.

"I had no choice but to tell Mother!" a man's voice said. "Don't you see how dangerous this affair is?"

Amanda thought that it sounded like Prince Liron.

"There's nothing dangerous about it," Princess Desta replied hotly. "Not like the game you're playing."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Prince Liron demanded.

"I think you know what it means. I saw you last night. Of course, you haven't told Mother about that, have you?"

"That's my business, and I've already taken steps to deal with it. You apparently don't care about the best interests of our world."

"You're overreacting. Nothing that I've done will hurt anything. Faridil understood that."

"Faridil's dead, and I'm next in line. I order you to –"

"You can't order me to do anything! Look to your own affairs and let me tend to mine!"

The library door flew open, and Princess Desta stormed out.

"Oh!" she exclaimed, almost running directly into Amanda.

Embarrassed, Amanda said, "I was on my way to meet my husband, and I stopped to look at the paintings. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."

"No, I'm sorry, Lady Amanda. I didn't realize that you were here. Please, excuse me," the princess said hurriedly and began walking briskly away.

Amanda hoped that the princess didn't realize just how much of the conversation Amanda had heard. The old saying was that eavesdroppers never hear anything good about themselves, but Amanda decided that it should be that eavesdroppers never hear anything good, period.

Amanda decided to say nothing to Sarek about what she had overheard. After all, she really shouldn't have been listening in the first place, and in the second place, she hadn't overheard enough to tell exactly what they were talking about. It seemed that both brother and sister were criticizing each other over their "affairs", but what kind of affairs were these, really? Business affairs, affairs of state, love affairs? Maybe it was just the general state of affairs. It could really be any or all of these, and there was no reason to think that they had anything to do with the current negotiations.

"Except," Amanda recalled, "that Prince Liron didn't attend the negotiations this morning. Apparently, he had something more important to do, like talking to his mother about something. That 'something' was about his sister's 'affair.'"

Amanda shook her head. That really wasn't enough to go on. There was no reason why she should involve herself in what was probably just some family drama. The best thing that she could do would be to forget about it and join her husband.

When she arrived at Ambassador Morgan's quarters, everyone was still dressed in their formal wear from dinner, but the atmosphere was pretty informal. Ambassador Citlal and Ambassador Phocas were chatting on one side of the room, drinking some kind of greenish liquid, probably alcoholic. Citlal was laughing at something that Phocas had said.

Sarek was drinking tea and talking with Andrew Betz as they watched Ambassador Morgan and Ambassador Gavos playing a game of Gerlach, which was something like a combination of backgammon and chess. Games of Gerlach could get pretty cutthroat, and although these two didn't appear to be playing for money, they both looked like they were taking the game seriously. Sarek stood as Amanda approached and held out a hand to her, guiding her to the seat next to his. Betz, who had been staring thoughtfully into the amber liquid in his glass, belatedly noticed Amanda's arrival and stood quickly in greeting.

"Please, sit down," Amanda said to him. "Don't let me interrupt."

Betz sat back down and went back to being moody. The pair playing Gerlach never even looked up from their game.

"Would you like some tea, Amanda?" Sarek asked.

"Thank you," she said, taking the cup he offered.

"You have made a very foolish mistake," Gavos taunted Morgan. Morgan regarded the board thoughtfully, but did not answer.

"I just don't understand," Betz said suddenly.

"About the game?" asked Amanda.

"About the Romulans," Betz answered. "I don't see how they even knew about the negotiations! The king swears that the Lareynians haven't had much to do with them since they signed that treaty. The Lareynians have kept the discovery of the dilithium fairly quiet because they've been worried about illegal mining. How did the Romulans find out we were meeting to discuss the issue?"

"I wouldn't worry about it too much," Morgan said easily, moving one of his lesser pieces across the board. "No matter how quiet they may have tried to keep it, word has a way of getting out, especially about something as exciting as this. The discovery was about the biggest thing to hit this system in years."

Gavos gave a low growl, and Morgan chuckled. Amanda didn't know a lot about Gerlach, but it looked like Morgan had just made a good move.

"I can't help but think that someone may have tipped them off about the negotiations," Betz insisted.

"It's a nuisance," Morgan said with a sigh, "but there's not much we can do now."

"Ha!" Gavos said, moving one of his own pieces. Morgan frowned at the board.

Phocas and Citlal left their seats to watch the game. Citlal pulled up another chair and sat next to Amanda. Phocas sat on the other side of the board from the rest of them and began cheering on both sides.

"He's taking the game too seriously," Citlal said to Amanda.

"Ambassador Phocas?" Amanda asked. "It looks like he's enjoying himself." Phocas grinned broadly while congratulating Gavos on his last move.

"I meant Ambassador Gavos," Citlal said. "He's very competitive and takes every game too seriously."

Amanda watched the Andorian ambassador's expression change as Morgan made another good move and Phocas congratulated him as well. Gavos glared at Phocas, as though Morgan's move were somehow his fault. Phocas seemed oblivious to his irritation, urging him to make a good move and not let Morgan "get away with" his last move. Morgan rolled his eyes. Phocas may have been enjoying himself, but really he was just getting on their nerves.

"All I can say is that whoever tipped off the Romulans is playing a really dangerous game," Betz said sourly, downing the last of his drink. Amanda hoped he wouldn't have any more; it looked like he'd already had too much.

Trying to dispel some of the tension in the room, Sarek brought up the topic of classical literature. Citlal pounced on the topic, enthusiastically talking about her favorite authors, and the others soon joined in. It never ceased to amaze Amanda that, with all the authors on all the planets, no matter where they went, there were fans of Shakespeare. Or maybe it was just because most of the people she met moved in diplomatic and academic circles. Whatever the reason, Shakespeare literally seemed to have a universal appeal. Amanda did not mention The Ghost of Grey Tower Heights, since it didn't really count as classical literature and wouldn't interest any of the others.

The two game players threw out a few comments in between moves, but the one person who never entered the discussion was Betz. He wasn't paying any attention to it at all. He didn't get another drink. He just kept staring into his empty glass. If he was trying to see the future in the crystal, it didn't look like it was a good one. Then, suddenly, he bounded from his seat and left the room.

Amanda looked at Sarek questioningly, but Sarek simply shook his head. He was right, of course. It wasn't really any of their business. Amanda did her best to relax and enjoy the rest of the conversation.

Morgan won the game of Gerlach. Phocas was overwhelming in his congratulations. Gavos looked like he wanted to flip the board and send all the pieces flying, but he managed a small smile and a brief (very brief) handshake for his opponent before leaving for his own room. Sarek and Amanda also said their goodnights and returned to their own quarters.


	8. Reason to Be Suspicious

**Chapter 7: Reason to Be Suspicious**

Yes novels; - for I will not adopt that ungenerous and impolitic custom, so common with novel writers, of degrading by their contemptuous censure the very performances, to the number of which they are themselves adding – joining with their greatest enemies in bestowing the harshest epithets on such works, and scarcely ever permitting them to be read by their own heroine, who, if she accidentally take up a novel, is sure to turn over its insipid pages with disgust.

- _Northanger Abbey_ (Sorry for the long quote, but I do like the irony that Jane Austen points out, that the authors of older novels had a tendency to make their characters act like they were too intelligent to waste their time reading silly novels even while being part of a novel. That's why I decided that there was nothing wrong with Amanda enjoying novels. :D )

_"Cecily stood motionless in the doorway as Amelia, Romilda's young companion, hurried to her feet. What she had heard was not the crying of a ghost, but the crying of an ordinary girl, whose long, white nightgown had appeared ghostly as she walked about the house at night. But for what purpose?_

_'I didn't mean to disturb you, Miss Cecily,' Amelia said, wiping the tears from her eyes. 'Please, go back to sleep.'_

_Cecily stepped into the room, 'Why are you crying? And what is that you're holding behind your back?'_

_'It's nothing,' she said, trying to hide the note._

_'Why don't you tell me what's wrong, Amelia?' Cecily asked gently. 'Perhaps I can help.'_

_The girl began to cry again, but this time, it was tears of relief._

_'Yes, yes!' she sobbed. 'I need to tell someone! I've been so afraid . . .'"_

Amanda had suspected that Amelia was the one who had been crying at night, not a ghost. As spooky and suspenseful as the story was, Amanda didn't really believe in ghosts.

She was sitting on the terrace overlooking the garden with Queen Gennadia. Both of them were reading.

Queen Gennadia had arrived at Amanda's room that morning to ask her to go for another walk, and Amanda had happily agreed. She had been working on her linguistics project, but she had reached a difficult part. She had gone through her notes again and again, but she just couldn't seem to find a good example for the point that she was trying to make. Some fresh air and the chance to clear her mind might be just what she needed.

Her one concern was that these walks in the garden tended to bring up the subject of Prince Faridil's death. Amanda decided that she should think of other things to talk about so that the queen wouldn't spend so much time thinking about her son. So, after chatting a bit about her work in linguistics, she started to talk about her favorite classical authors, mentioning some of the ones she'd talked about the night before.

"I love to read," Queen Gennadia said. "I've never actually read Shakespeare, although I understand that he's very good."

Well, there was one person who wasn't a Shakespeare fan. Apparently, there were still a few people who hadn't encountered his works yet, but Amanda doubted that the queen would ignore him for long when she began listing all of the authors whose work she had already read.

"But, just between us, I like stories with a bit of romance," Gennadia said.

"So do I!" said Amanda.

"And, sometimes, I like stories with a bit of mystery to them," Gennadia said.

"Yes, exactly!" Amanda agreed. "My husband thinks I'm silly for reading books like that, but they can be so much fun!"

"Do you have a favorite book?" Gennadia asked.

"Well, not really," Amanda said. "I like so many things . . ."

She started to tell the queen about The Ghost of Grey Tower Heights. "I brought three other books like that with me," Amanda admitted guiltily. "I should be getting more work done, but sometimes, I just need a break. I was stuck this morning on my latest project."

"Remember that you are free to use our library any time you like," Gennadia said. "There may be something there that will help you. However, I like the idea of taking a break and reading. Why don't we read for awhile on the terrace? I'll get a book from my room and meet you there."

"That sounds nice," Amanda said. "I'll meet you there in a few minutes."

Amanda was glad that Gennadia's taste in books was similar to hers. Certain books in classic literature might be universal, but certain themes in popular literature also seemed to be common on other planets. The two of them spent the rest of the morning reading and talking about their books. While Gennadia was engrossed in her own book about a girl who was kidnapped by pirates and rescued by a handsome, mysterious hero, Amanda read about the secret that the "ghost" of Grey Tower Heights was keeping. In the novel, Cecily listened to the story of the tragic death of Amelia's older brother, Dunstan.

Amelia explained that he was killed by Lord Eustace in a duel after he had accused Lord Eustace of cheating at cards. Amelia's other brother, Edmund, was sure that Lord Eustace really was a cheat and had written Amelia a note about his plan to get revenge on him. Amelia had sent notes of her own, begging him not to go through with the plan because Lord Eustace was just too dangerous, and Amelia was afraid that he would also be killed.

This was a twist in Lord Eustace's character. Although he was slightly sinister and seemed determined to keep Cecily and Prosper apart so that he could have Cecily for himself, it hadn't occurred to Amanda that he might be a murderer. Both Cecily and Romilda's fathers had died suddenly. Was there a connection? Could he have killed them both so that he could become Romilda's guardian and Cecily's husband?

Someone stepped out onto the terrace. Both Amanda and Gennadia looked up from their books to see Rayner.

"Oh, excuse me, Your Majesty!" he said. "I didn't mean to interrupt."

"It's all right, Rayner," the queen said. "We were only doing a little reading. Was there something you wanted to tell me?"

"No," Rayner said. "The talks are over for the morning, and I just thought that I'd come out here for a little fresh air. If I'm disturbing you, I can go."

"Oh, no," said Amanda. "It must be almost lunchtime. I was planning to join my husband for lunch."

"I should meet my husband for lunch, too," Gennadia said. "It was lovely, though, reading out here. We should do it again tomorrow."

"Yes," Amanda said. "Oh, by the way, I was curious about something. When I asked you the other day about the tapestries in my room, you mentioned that there are other tapestries that show scenes from the same story scattered around the palace. I was wondering why all of the tapestries weren't together. Did they all used to be in one place?"

"I'm not sure," Gennadia said, "but history is one of Rayner's hobbies, particularly the history of the palace. Do you know the answer, Rayner?"

"Actually, yes, I do," Rayner said, beaming. "The tapestries, all 147 of them, used to hang in the great hall. That was a little less than 200 years ago, during the reign of King Ronen. He was the one who commissioned the tapestries to be made."

"Why were they moved?" Queen Gennadia asked. "Now, they're all over the palace."

"King Ronen's grandson, Laric, had almost the entire palace renovated and redecorated at the beginning of his reign," Rayner explained. "He made a number of major changes to the basic design of the palace, combining some of the smaller rooms to make larger ones and removing a number of smaller hallways between the rooms that seemed to confuse visitors so that the palace would be less maze-like. Anyway, Laric never liked The Trials of Ullandar, and he resented having to memorize it and repeat it so often as a child, so he had all of the tapestries moved to different parts of the palace. He even ordered that the sequence of the tapestries should be broken up so that anyone who wished to follow the story from beginning to end would have to travel all over the palace and revisit the same rooms repeatedly."

Amanda glanced at Queen Gennadia, who smiled. Apparently, she wasn't the only member of the royal family who was not fond of the old epic.

"I am curious, though," Amanda said. "Could you tell me –"

Their conversation was interrupted by loud arguing from the other end of the terrace.

"What is that?" the queen asked, standing up and heading toward the noise. Amanda followed her, and the security guards who were watching them came immediately after.

The guards insisted on going ahead of them, but the queen forced her way in front of them when she realized that Prince Liron was part of the shouting match.

"I demand an explanation for this insult!" Ambassador Gavos shouted at the prince.

"I don't owe you anything!" Prince Liron shouted back. "You can't intimidate me like you did my brother!"

"What are you implying?" Gavos hissed.

"Gentlemen!" Gennadia exclaimed. "I don't know what this is about –"

"Nothing, Mother! Absolutely nothing!" Liron snapped and stormed off into the garden.

Ambassador Gavos was not at a loss for words, "Your son has been negotiating with the Romulans, conspiring against all the rest of us! I heard it from Ambassador Rennila herself! To invite all the rest of us here simply to make fools of us, when everything is already decided –"

"Nothing has been decided yet," Queen Gennadia said firmly. "Why don't you and I discuss it inside? I'm sorry to leave you, Amanda."

"I understand, Your Majesty" Amanda said. "We can continue our talk another time."

The queen led Ambassador Gavos back into the palace, and Rayner followed her.

"Perhaps you would like to return to your room, Lady Amanda?" one of the guards suggested.

The guards couldn't actually order her to go if she didn't want to, but she knew they were suggesting it because it was what Sarek would want if there were signs of trouble. Now that the queen was unavailable and there was no one else to talk to, Amanda agreed.

Back in her room, Amanda decided to continue reading The Ghost of Grey Tower Heights. Her mind was once again troubled by thoughts of Faridil's death and its possible connection to the current talks. A story full of dark conspiracies might not seem like the best way to relax, but Amanda only had a few chapters left to go, and she thought that the best way to get both the story and her suspicions off her mind was to finish the book. Then, maybe she could get back to her linguistics project on Vulcan and Romulan dialects without being distracted. Then again, maybe not. What did Ambassador Rennila say to Gavos, anyway?

Amanda pushed the thought out of her mind and went back to reading. Cecily had confided Amelia's worries about Edmund to Prosper, and he had promised to try to prevent him from dueling Lord Eustace. Then, Romilda had suddenly announced that she and Lord Eustace were about to be married. It was a sudden change from the way Lord Eustace had previously been trying to seduce Cecily and threaten Prosper. Romilda insisted that Cecily be her maid of honor, although Cecily was suspicious of her motives. Strange accidents were starting to threaten Cecily's life. She had just narrowly escaped from a runaway carriage when Sarek came to join Amanda for lunch.

Amanda felt a little guilty for letting so much of the day go by without getting any real work done, but lunch with Sarek was a welcome break from her worries. She told him about the argument she had witnessed between Ambassador Gavos and Prince Liron.

"Prince Liron was absent from the negotiations again this morning," Sarek explained. "Ambassador Gavos commented on it, and Ambassador Rennila told everyone present that the prince had already decided in favor of the Romulans' offer."

"Is that true?" Amanda asked. If it was, there was little hope for the rest of the negotiators.

"The king denied it," Sarek said, "but Ambassador Gavos left immediately to find the prince and confront him. It seems that he succeeded."

"Ambassador Gavos made it sound like the prince had given him some kind of personal insult," Amanda commented.

"Ambassador Gavos takes his work very seriously," Sarek explained. "To him, all negotiating sessions are personal, and if they go badly, he believes it is a reflection on his skills as a negotiator."

They talked about more pleasant things for awhile, but before Sarek left again, he asked Amanda to remain in their quarters.

"I do not like the turn these negotiations are taking," he said. "You will be safer here, under guard."

"The queen sometimes asks me to join her for walks or just to talk with her," Amanda said. "Would it be alright if I visit with her sometimes?"

"Yes," Sarek said. "She is our hostess, and you will safe while you are with her. Like you, she is also guarded at all times. But, do not leave our room alone or with anyone other than the queen."

"Are you suspicious of the other diplomats?" Amanda asked.

"There may be reason to be suspicious of them," Sarek said solemnly. "Stay here and be safe."


	9. Secret Passage

**Chapter 8: Secret Passage**

"Is not it a fine old place, just like what one reads about?"

- Catherine Morland in _Northanger Abbey_

"And are you prepared to encounter all the horrors that a building such as 'what one reads about' may produce? – Have you a stout heart? – Nerves fit for sliding panels and tapestry?"

- Henry Tilney in _Northanger Abbey_ (direct response to first quote)

Staying inside might help Sarek's peace of mind, but it wasn't doing much for Amanda's. She made a little progress on her linguistics project, but not much. It was getting harder and harder to ignore her suspicions about what was going on in the palace. The problem was that, as far as she knew, nothing really was going on except for some cutthroat negotiations and some kind of family troubles.

Her imagination kept suggesting vague plots involving Prince Faridil's death. Prince Liron had said that Gavos intimidated Faridil. Amanda had already seen how competitive Gavos was. What would he do if Faridil had stood in the way of something important that he wanted for his government? The queen had also said that Faridil and Citlal argued. Amanda wondered if it had ever gone beyond mere arguing. Then, what about the argument between Liron and Desta? If Faridil had sided with Desta, could Liron have been angry enough to eliminate him? Was their argument really that serious? What about the Romulans? Where did they fit in? Or did they?

Looking at the situation logically, Amanda decided that her main problem was boredom. So far, very little about this trip was interesting enough to take her mind off of scary stories, and she was allowing other people's petty arguments to distract her from her work. A change of scene might have helped, but she had already promised Sarek that she wouldn't go anywhere.

Surely, a trip to the library wouldn't be bad. The guards would go with her, of course. It was only down the hallway. Their selection of books would be different from what she had brought with her, and she might find something interesting or helpful for her project.

The guards seemed somewhat reluctant when Amanda told them where she wanted to go. Obviously, Sarek had already had a word with them. However, they accompanied Amanda to the library, and after searching the room to make certain that it was safe, stood outside the door while Amanda got on with her research.

The change of scene helped, and Amanda was actually making good progress when a strange noise interrupted her train of thought. There was a slight squeak followed by a scraping noise and then a thump. Amanda looked up and saw a tapestry that was hanging on the wall across the room flutter and move aside. A face peered out from behind it.

"Princess Desta?" Amanda asked in surprise.

The young woman looked like she was about to duck back into the passageway behind the tapestry, but having been caught, changed her mind and entered the room instead.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I didn't know that anyone was working in here."

"I didn't know that there was any other way into this room," Amanda said. "Are there many secret passages in the palace?"

"It isn't really a secret," Desta said uncomfortably. "It's just a passageway that isn't used much anymore. Sometimes, we use it as a short cut between our quarters and the library. Since my great-grandfather had the tapestry placed over the doorway, most people tend to forget that it's there."

"I see," Amanda said. "Well, I was just doing some research for a project of mine."

"Oh, yes," the princess said. "I remember hearing about your research into linguistics. It sounds fascinating. I've really only learned two languages myself, but I would like to study more."

Amanda smiled. "It takes time and patience, but I've always believed that anything worth doing is worth the effort to do it and that one should never refuse the chance to learn something that might be useful later."

Desta smiled at her and started to say something else, but then she hesitated. Both of them turned as they heard the scraping sound of the hidden door opening. Prince Liron only saw them after he stepped into the room.

"Desta?" he asked. "What are you doing here? Oh, Lady Amanda."

The prince's tone became much more polite once he realized that he and Desta weren't alone.

"We're using the library," Desta said drily. "What are you doing here?"

For a moment, the prince looked as if he were trying to decide just what he was doing in the library. (Apparently, the idea of looking for a book never occurred to him, Amanda thought, resisting the urge to roll her eyes.) However, he never actually had to answer the question because they were interrupted by the guards.

"Lady Amanda," one of them said, entering the room. "There are two people –" He stopped in surprise when he saw that there were now three people in the room when there should have been just one.

"Someone else wants to use the library?" Amanda asked calmly. Her quiet little study session had somehow turned into a convention.

"Yes," the guard answered as the Romulan ambassador pushed her way past him and strode into the room. Her haughty look was soon replaced by one of confusion as she studied the group in front of her. The other Vulcan guard followed her into the room, giving his partner a concerned look.

"Lady Amanda, perhaps we should leave," the first Vulcan guard said, stepping between Amanda and the Romulan. Amanda nodded, gathering up her research materials.

Then, another person peered around the edge of the library door.

"What is going on in here?" Andrew Betz asked. He stopped, glancing between the prince, the princess, and the Romulan ambassador. His expression hardened. "I see," he said.

"Andrew!" Desta said. "Wait! It's not what you think!"

Without another word, Betz left the room. Desta ran after him, calling, "Wait!"

Throughout the entire scene, Prince Liron had stood silently, gazing at the Romulan ambassador.

Ambassador Rennila gave Amanda a cool and unfriendly look. "You were just leaving?" she asked sweetly.

The guards tensed, ready for action. Amanda merely nodded, rising from her seat, and allowed the guards to hurry her back to her quarters. So much for getting her work done.

She told Sarek what happened as soon as he returned to their quarters.

"I had no idea that there was another way into the library," she said. "Princess Desta said it wasn't a secret, but it might as well be. The tapestry that covers the door looks just like all the others scattered around the palace. Since I didn't get a look at the door itself, I don't know if it's possible to open it from the library side or not."

"This is the first I've heard of it," Sarek said. "Where exactly is this hidden door?"

"It's on the left side as you enter the room, behind the tapestry with the girl standing in the middle of a group of flowering trees. The princess said it was a shortcut from the royal quarters."

Sarek sighed. "I understand why you went to the library, but perhaps it would be better to send someone else for any materials you need. Our rooms here are more private and much more safe."

"I don't understand quite what happened in the library," Amanda said, "but I think I accidentally interfered with two secret meetings, not just one."

"Secret meetings?" Sarek asked with a raised eyebrow. "The library is available for anyone to use."

"Yet, for some reason, everyone seemed awkward and uncomfortable," Amanda insisted. "I don't think any of them really expected the library to be occupied when they came in. Both the prince and the princess seemed surprised to see each other, and Andrew Betz was clearly upset that the Romulan ambassador was there."

"Ambassador Rennila was absent from this afternoon's talks. Commander Jeznek took her place, saying that she was 'indisposed,'" Sarek said.

"Apparently, not indisposed enough that she couldn't visit the library," Amanda commented.

"Amanda," Sarek said firmly, "listen to me. Whatever the Romulans are doing, whatever the royal family is doing, you should remain here, where it is safe. I will handle the situation. The way these negotiations are going, I doubt we will be here much longer."

"I'm sorry," Amanda said. It wasn't because she had done anything wrong; she just didn't like to worry Sarek when she knew that he already had a lot on his mind. Whether he said it not, she knew that he did love her and that he worried about her.

"Did you make more progress on your project?" he asked her. They talked about her project for awhile and had a quiet dinner before going to bed.

That night, however, Amanda couldn't sleep. It wasn't her book or any nightmare that was keeping her awake. She just couldn't stop thinking about the negotiations, about the secret meetings, and about the tangled relationships of the people here. Fearing that her tossing and turning would keep Sarek awake, she decided to get up and read for awhile. Cecily's problems might be a welcome distraction from her own.

Amanda put on a light robe and began looking for her book. Where had she left it again? Then, she remembered that she had been sitting on the window seat while she was reading. The book was still there. But, as she went to get it, something out the window caught her eye.

There were lights in the garden again, just like the ones she'd seen before. Someone must be going to the grotto, Amanda thought. Two lights meant two people. Another secret meeting?

There was no way Amanda could go down to the garden to see who it was. The night guards were outside the door, and they would question her if she tried to leave. Sarek would never allow her to investigate, and Amanda had to admit that there was no logical reason for her to investigate at all. Still, she wished that she could just get a better look at who was out there.

Amanda went out on the small balcony that opened off of the sitting room. However, all she could see were the bobbing lights. They were too far away, and there were too many trees in the way. She was about to give up when she saw someone on the terrace below.

It was Ambassador Phocas. He was leaning against the terrace railing, gazing off into the garden. Was he watching the lights, too?

"Amanda!" Sarek said behind her. "What are you doing?"

"I saw the lights again," Amanda said. "I wanted to get a better look."

"Lights?" Sarek asked.

The two of them looked out into the garden, but the lights were gone. Sarek glanced at the book in her hands and took it from her, gently.

"Come back to bed, Amanda," Sarek said softly, taking her by the arm. He set the book on the table in the sitting room.

At first, Amanda thought that Sarek was humoring her, thinking that she'd had another nightmare, but she couldn't help but notice that he held her a little more tightly than usual until she fell asleep.


	10. Star-Crossed Lovers

**Chapter 9: Star-Crossed Lovers**

". . . Here was I, in my eagerness to get on, refusing to wait only five minutes for my sister; breaking the promise I had made of reading it aloud, and keeping her in suspense at a most interesting part, by running away with the volume, which, you are to observe, was her own, particularly her own. I am proud when I reflect on it, and I think it must establish me in your good opinion."

- Henry Tilney in _Northanger Abbey_, explaining to Catherine that he loves novels as much as she does, having stolen his sister's copy of _The Mysteries of Udolpho_ before she was done reading it

Sarek was gone by the time Amanda awoke. Breakfast was in warming dishes on the table in the sitting room, and The Ghost of Grey Tower Heights was gone. Amanda remembered that Sarek had laid it on the table the night before. After a brief hunt around the room, she found it on the bookshelf. Whether Sarek had placed it there or whether it was the servant who had brought breakfast, Amanda didn't know. Sarek thought that novels like that were a bad influence, and Amanda herself was starting to wonder.

Perhaps this book was getting to her a bit too much. The character of Lord Eustace was turning more violent and sinister, and there were hints of dark deeds that he had committed in the past. Besides the death of Amelia's brother, Lord Eustace appeared to be responsible for the murder of Romilda's father and possibly Cecily's as well. Just like the characters in the story, everyone in the palace seemed to be hiding something, and everything seemed to bring up the memory of Prince Faridil's death. It was like the shadow of the prince's death hung over everyone . . .

No! Amanda shook her head. She mustn't let her imagination run away with her. No one had said anything to suggest that the prince's death was anything more than an unfortunate accident. Of course, most of what she knew about it was what Sarek had heard and what the queen had said, and neither of them was here when it happened . . .

Amanda helped herself to food from the warming dishes and tried to relax and enjoy her breakfast. Still, she couldn't help but think about how strangely everyone was behaving. Queen Gennadia's grief over her son was understandable, but what were Prince Liron and Princess Desta arguing about, really? And didn't Princess Desta make some reference to Faridil, saying that he had no problem with what she was doing? Although, Faridil was no longer around to have an opinion about anything . . .

Amanda sighed. "Enough of this!" she told herself.

It would be embarrassing if the queen had any idea of Amanda's suspicious thoughts. Besides, from what she'd seen yesterday, Amanda thought that she had a pretty good idea about what Princess Desta was up to . . .

"Stop, right now!" Amanda told herself firmly.

Maybe she should take a break from the gothic novels. She wouldn't have blamed Sarek if he had decided to hide the book for awhile, forcing her to focus on her work. In fact, Amanda decided that was what she was going to do herself.

Amanda put the book under her pillow on the bed so that it would be out of sight and out of mind and dedicated herself to getting some work done. In fact, she managed to get more work done in a few hours than she had accomplished in the last few days.

Queen Gennadia paid her a visit before lunch. The two of them had tea and chatted, but Amanda stayed in her quarters. Gennadia had finished the book that she was reading the other day and was eager to tell Amanda all about it. The queen's enthusiasm for the story gave Amanda an idea.

"Would you like to borrow The Ghost of Grey Tower Heights?" she asked the queen. "It isn't a very long read. I've gone through it fairly quickly, although I've been working on my project and doing other things."

"Thank you," Gennadia said. "I would like to read it. It sounds so exciting!"

Amanda retrieved the book from its hiding place and handed to Gennadia.

"I'll read it as quickly as I can," Gennadia promised. "I'm not sure how much longer the talks will last, but I'll make sure to return the book before you leave."

The two chatted some more, and when the queen left, Amanda was satisfied that the book would really be out of sight and out of mind for awhile. All in all, it was the most productive morning Amanda had had at the palace. The afternoon was different.

It started with Sarek sending Amanda a message saying that he wouldn't be able to meet with her for lunch. Not only was Amanda disappointed at not being able to see her husband but she was worried at just how bad the negotiations were.

However, Amanda did not have lunch alone. At first, when the guards announced that she had a visitor, she thought that the queen had returned, but it was Princess Desta.

"I know that your husband is having lunch with my parents, Lady Amanda," the princess said, "so I thought that you might enjoy having some company."

"That's very thoughtful, Your Highness," Amanda said.

"Please, just call me Desta," she said.

"Thank you, and please call me Amanda. I'm glad you stopped by, Desta" Amanda said. "Please, join me for lunch. I could use some company."

While they ate, they talked about the planets that Amanda had visited and some of the interesting people she'd met.

"It all sounds so exciting," Desta said. "I've never left my home system before. All of the off-worlders I've met have been visitors here at the palace."

"I'm sure that many of them have been memorable people," Amanda said.

"Some more than others," Desta said with a little smile.

Desta seemed somewhat nervous, although Amanda wasn't quite sure why. Thinking that it might be because of the scene in the library the day before, Amanda tried to think of something that she could say to put her at her ease.

"Did you meet your husband at a diplomatic function, Lady Amanda?" Desta asked suddenly.

"We met at the Vulcan embassy on Earth, yes," Amanda said.

Desta opened her mouth to say something but then hesitated. There was a question on the tip of her tongue that she was afraid to ask, and Amanda had a feeling that she knew what the question was.

Deciding to take a tip from Cecily, Amanda gently said, "Why don't you tell me what's wrong, Desta? Perhaps I can help."

Desta blinked at Amanda, tears welling up in her eyes. "I'm . . . I'm sorry, I just . . ."

"No, don't be sorry. This is about Andrew Betz, isn't it?"

"H-how? I mean, is it that obvious?" Desta stammered.

Amanda smiled reassuringly. "Would you like to talk about it?"

"Yes! Yes, I would like to tell someone," Desta said. "Mother told me how nice you were and how sympathetic . . . But, will you promise not to tell anyone else?"

"Of course not. Not if you don't want me to," Amanda promised.

Desta leaned forward. "May I ask you a personal question? When you decided to marry Ambassador Sarek, was your family shocked?"

Amanda laughed. "They were sure that I had lost my mind! They calmed down, eventually. One of the advantages of marrying a diplomat is that they always know how to smooth things over."

"What about the Vulcan officials? Did they complain about him marrying a non-Vulcan?"

"Our marriage got a lot of publicity, but there was really no conflict with Sarek's career. I was, and still am, a civilian. I suppose if I had been a diplomat or some other government official, it might have been seen as a conflict of interest, but since I was a private citizen, there was no cause for complaint."

"But I can never be a private citizen," Desta said with downcast eyes. "I don't think my family will allow me to marry Andrew."

"Have you spoken to your mother about it?"

"She says that Father will have the final decision," she said, "but he's been too worried about the negotiations to give it much thought. When the negotiations are over, Andrew will have to leave."

"Not necessarily," Amanda said.

"I'm not sure that Andrew even still wants to marry me," Desta said. "He thinks that Liron has been dealing with the Romulans behind the backs of all the other delegates, and he thinks that I knew about it the entire time!"

"Are you sure?" Amanda asked carefully.

"You saw us in the library yesterday! I was supposed to meet Andrew there, but I had no idea that Liron or Ambassador Rennila would be there. I tried to tell him last night, but I don't think he believes me."

"He may have just been upset," Amanda said. "Tell me, were you talking with Andrew in the garden last night?"

"That's right. How did you know?"

"I had trouble sleeping, and I think I saw the light from your flashlights. You went to the grotto, just like you did the first night we were here?"

"We went to the grotto, yes," Desta said. "But, that was the first time I'd taken Andrew there."

Amanda was puzzled. "I thought I saw lights in the garden the first night we were here, too. Then, I saw Andrew looking for his lost ring in the garden the next day, and I thought maybe the two of you had been there the night before."

"We were walking in the garden that afternoon, while the rest of you were at the reception. He probably lost it then."

Something clicked in Amanda's memory. "I think I overheard the two of you talking that day while I was on the terrace. I think you said something like 'he knows'?"

Desta nodded. "I was talking about Ambassador Morgan. I think he knows how Andrew and I feel about each other, and I was worried that it would cause trouble for Andrew's career. He told me that he wasn't concerned about that, but I don't know if that's true. Sometimes, I can't tell which he loves more: me or his job."

"If he really loves you, he'll find a way of letting you know," Amanda said. "Trust me." She and Desta talked for awhile longer, but finally, Desta left.

Amanda roamed the room restlessly. A light rain was falling in the garden outside, and droplets pattered against the windows. Part of the mystery she'd been pondering had been explained. Desta had confirmed some of what she'd suspected after witnessing the incident in the library. However, Liron's behavior was still strange.

Maybe Andrew Betz and Ambassador Gavos were right, and Liron was dealing with the Romulans. If that was the case, there wasn't anything Amanda could do about it. Yet, she wanted to know more about it and where Liron really stood.

Amanda sat on the window seat, staring out at the rain. She couldn't read her novel now, but it didn't really matter since Cecily's adventures and conspiracies no longer seemed as interesting to her as the ones happening around her. In her state of mind, it wasn't likely that she would get much work done, although she knew that she should try.

Lazily, Amanda listened to the sound of the rain and let her eyes wander around the room. The tapestries on the wall still fascinated her. She found herself making up little stories to go with them. It wasn't likely that she would ever know the real story that they were supposed to represent, since following it would require exploring the palace from top to bottom, probably with someone like Rayner, who was knowledgeable enough to be a guide. The secret (or, at least, fairly secret) entrance to the library still fascinated Amanda. Who knew that one of these tapestries could hide a secret door, just like something from one of the novels she'd been reading?

Although, what Desta had told her about the door reminded Amanda about what Rayner said on the terrace. The king who had ordered that the tapestries should be scattered around the palace had made many other changes, including closing off extra passages between rooms. Perhaps the passage that Desta and Liron used was one of those extra passages. It would make sense that some of those passages might not be permanently sealed or eliminated but merely blocked or hidden so that most people wouldn't use them. Idly, Amanda wondered how many more passages there might be that were just like that one. Were they all covered with tapestries? In fact, could one of the tapestries in her room be hiding a door just like that?

At another time, Amanda might have laughed at herself for thinking such a thing, but since there was a hidden door in the library, there might be hidden doors anywhere. The temptation to find out was much too great to resist. Amanda was glad that Sarek wasn't there to see her as she got up to give the tapestries a closer look. Not that she really expected to find anything, but the hunt gave her something interesting to do. For a few moments, she could play out the fantasy of being Cecily, searching for hidden secrets in a mysterious old mansion. Then, she could laugh it off and go back to work.

Her plans changed when she peered behind the fourth tapestry, the one next to the bookshelves, and found the hidden door.


	11. Behind the Tapestry

**Chapter 10: Behind the Tapestry**

". . . Oh! I would not tell you what is behind the black veil for the world! Are not you wild to know?"

- Isabella Thorpe in _Northanger Abbey_

The door behind the tapestry was an old-fashioned style of door with a metal doorknob. Experimentally, Amanda turned the knob to see if it would open. It squeaked loudly, but the knob did turn. The hinges were rusty and creaky, too, but they did move. It had obviously been years since anyone had used this door. Amanda wondered how many people even had any idea that it was there.

Beyond the door was blackness. Amanda retrieved a small flashlight from her luggage and shone it into the darkness. There was a small hallway and some stairs leading down.

The logical thing to do in this situation would be to call the guards in from outside and have them examine the passageway for her, Amanda realized. A little voice in the back of her head reminded her that going alone into the darkness might be dangerous and that Sarek would certainly disapprove. However, the stairway was beckoning to her. The tantalizing mystery of where it led and the opportunity to explore its secrets unsupervised were just too tempting.

Amanda reasoned that there would be no harm in taking a quick look at where the stairs went. Still, she knew that she had to take some practical precautions. She left a note on the table in the sitting room explaining about the secret passage and placed a stack of books in the doorway to make sure that it stayed open behind her. Although it had opened easily enough from this side, she wanted to make sure that it wouldn't slam shut and stick. Satisfied with these precautions, Amanda picked up her flashlight and ventured into the secret passage.

"Was this the way that Cecily felt when she was exploring the mysterious corridors of Grey Tower Heights?" Amanda wondered. Of course, in the book, Cecily had no idea what would jump out at her from the darkness, but Amanda was pretty sure that nothing would jump out at her here. The amount of dust on the floor confirmed that no one had been in here in years.

Although the prospect of exploring a secret staircase had been exciting at first, it was actually proving to be a bit of a let down. There were no mysterious secrets in here, only dust. In fact, the staircase wasn't very long, and all too soon, the exploration was over. At the bottom of the stairs was another short hallway that ended in another door that looked very much like the first.

"It probably has a tapestry in front of it, too," Amanda thought. "But which room is it in?"

Amanda turned the knob on this second door and opened it slightly. There was definitely a tapestry over the door. The heavy fabric was all she could see so far. She was about to open the door wider when the sound of voices stopped her.

The first voice sounded like Prince Liron's. "Look, I've done as you asked and kept my voice out of these negotiations. What more do you want of me?"

The second voice was unmistakably Ambassador Rennila's. "Your father is about to abandon the talks altogether. That is the last thing we want. We want him to decide in favor of trade with Romulus, and we want him to send the Federation ambassadors away."

"Your arguments haven't persuaded him to do that?" Liron asked with a note of sarcasm in his voice.

"I want you to persuade him to do that," Rennila answered.

"No!" the prince said firmly. "It was bad enough not being able to take part in the negotiations. You cannot tell me or my father what is best for out planet."

"I think I can," Rennila said. "Unless you want me to tell your father about the two of us."

"What was between us was a mistake," Liron said softly. "I didn't know who you were then. I thought I knew what you were like, but I was wrong. The fact that I almost married you is embarrassing to me, but not as embarrassing as it would be if I allowed you to bully me or my father into making a bad decision."

"Once I tell your father about our affair on Argelius, do you think that he'll ever respect your opinion again on anything?" Rennila asked haughtily.

"The worst mistake I made, besides falling in love with you in the first place, was not telling him about you," Liron said. "Faridil was right. I had too much pride to admit my mistake."

"Your brother was hardly one to lecture on the subject of pride," Rennila said. "If he had had less pride, he would still be alive."

"What are you talking about?" Liron asked suspiciously.

"Your brother's pride is what got him killed," Rennila said. "If you want to live a longer life, perhaps you should swallow your pride and do as I say."

"Are you threatening me?" Liron demanded.

"Merely pointing out that you would be wise to cooperate with me."

"And how could you know anything about my brother's death? You weren't even here when it happened. I was!"

"I've heard things."

"From Ambassador Phocas, perhaps? You two seem to be awfully friendly. I saw you go out to meet him on the terrace last night, and then the two of you went back to his quarters."

"Jealous, are you?"

"Just trying to figure out what your game is. What are you and Phocas up to?"

"Let's just say that we have an understanding," Rennila said. "For your sake, I hope that you and I also have an understanding. You don't have your brother to shield you now, and you can no longer play the part of the foolish younger prince. Heir apparent is a much more difficult role, as I explained to you before, and people will be much less forgiving of your indiscretions."

Amanda heard the sounds of footsteps on the marble floor of the corridor outside the room, and then everything was quiet. She waited for a couple of minutes and then began to slowly open the door again. When she stepped out from around the tapestry, she found herself in one of the smaller sitting rooms on the first floor, one decorated entirely in shades of blue. The room was completely empty.

In the now silent room, Amanda struggled to collect her thoughts. Just when she had managed to convince herself that the conspiracies were all in her head, the product of a wild imagination, she had been presented with proof that they were real. Rennila and Phocas had been conspiring against the royal family and the other ambassadors. Rennila had used her past relationship with Prince Liron to keep him from the talks and prevent him from telling his father what he knew about her. All of that was obvious from the conversation Amanda had just overheard.

But what had Rennila meant about Faridil's pride causing his death? Had they tried some kind of blackmail scheme on Faridil and perhaps killed him when he resisted? Rennila hadn't been here when Faridil died, Amanda reminded herself, but Phocas definitely was. And what better place for a Minali like him to commit a murder than on the water? As an amphibian humanoid, his swimming skills were superior. Amanda could almost picture the scene: the prince in his boat on the river, Phocas's sleek body gliding through the water, and then . . .

And then what? Did he cause the boat to turn over or just drag the prince down into the water? It hardly mattered. At this point, Amanda was sure that Phocas had caused the prince's death. The real problem was how to prove it. If the investigators had missed some clue, the crime was now about a year old, and the clues might not be there anymore.

Perhaps it didn't matter, Amanda thought. Even though she might not be able to prove her suspicions about Faridil's death, she could still prove that there was a conspiracy between Rennila and Phocas. If she could find something in Phocas's room that pointed to his association with Rennila, that would help to convince the royal family and the other ambassadors that Phocas had tipped off the Romulans about the negotiations. Once she'd proven that, getting evidence for Phocas's earlier crime would be easier.

The time to act was now, while the ambassadors were still at the talks. If she waited to talk to Sarek about it, Phocas would return to his room and refuse to allow them inside until he'd had a chance to hide or destroy any evidence that might be there. Wasting no further time, Amanda headed directly for Phocas's quarters, keeping an eye out for anyone who might see her and stop her.


	12. Murder Investigation

**Chapter 11: Murder Investigation**

"Government," said Henry, endeavouring not to smile, "neither desires nor dares to interfere in such matters. There must be murder; and government cares not how much."

- _Northanger Abbey_ (Henry Tilney is trying not to smile because he is joking about murder in a book vs. murder in real life.)

Unlike Sarek and Amanda's quarters, Phocas's quarters did not have guards stationed immediately outside. Phocas had been a guest of the royal family before, and he was comfortable relying on the palace guards for his protection. At least, that was something that Amanda had heard him say at dinner one night. At the time, Amanda had thought that Phocas was simply trying to gain favor with the royal family by making a show of how much he trusted them. Now, she wondered if he also hadn't expected some additional security from the Romulans, or at least less witnesses to his secret meetings with them. Among all the people present at the negotiations, he was the only one who wouldn't view the Romulans as a threat.

However, the important point was that Amanda was confident that she could enter Phocas's quarters without being seen as long as she avoided the guards who patrolled the hallway. Avoiding them wouldn't be too difficult because their footsteps always echoed loudly on the marble floor as they marched along.

Of course, there was another obstacle to getting into his room which Amanda hadn't stopped to think about. When she tried to open the door, she discovered that it was locked. She felt like kicking herself for not thinking of it sooner.

"Some detective I would make!" she thought to herself. "Even Cecily would have expected the door to be locked. Although, she probably wouldn't let that stop her, even if it was."

Amanda hesitated outside Phocas's room, trying to think if there was some way she could unlock the door or get around it. There was always the possibility that one of the hidden passages might let her into that room, but without having seen the inside of Phocas's room, Amanda didn't know whether or not he had one of the tapestries that was likely to cover the entrance to a secret passage or what room the passage might connect to.

She was about to dedicate the rest of the day to exploring for hidden passages when Phocas himself came striding down the corridor toward her. It was a bad sign that he would be coming back to his quarters so soon. Amanda had expected the talks to continue for a couple more hours. There must have been trouble at the negotiations for them to break them off this early. Perhaps Rennila was right, and the king had decided to stop the negotiations altogether, Amanda thought dismally.

Since there was nowhere for Amanda to hide in the corridor and it was already too late for her to leave without Phocas seeing her, she smiled and waved at him. He frowned at her in return, obviously puzzled about why she would be standing outside his quarters. It was a question Amanda knew she would have to settle herself in the next few seconds before he had a chance to ask her.

As Phocas drew nearer, he composed his features into a more pleasant expression.

"Lady Amanda! How pleasant to see you again! Are you enjoying your stay in the palace?"

"Oh, yes!" Amanda said as brightly as possible. "It is such a fascinating place."

"Fascinating, yes," Phocas said. "One of your husband's favorite words, I believe." He giggled a little at his own joke, and Amanda nervously joined him, still thinking furiously about her reasons for being there.

"Was there something that you wanted to talk about, Lady Amanda?" Phocas asked, returning to the issue at hand.

"Oh! Yes, that's right," Amanda said immediately. "I was hoping to talk to you."

"What about?" Phocas asked cheerfully.

The sight of Phocas being cheerful made Amanda feel worse. If her theories were wrong, she was going to regret deceiving him. If they were right, there was pure evil behind that cheerful smile. Still, she pressed on.

"Could we talk inside your quarters?" Amanda asked carefully. "I would feel better if we could have this conversation in private." Not to mention that it would give her a chance to see inside his quarters _and_ a few more seconds to decide what the conversation was going to be about.

"By all means," Phocas responded. He unlocked the door and gestured Amanda inside.

Amanda walked into the room nervously. Being alone with a possible murderer and Romulan collaborator was a risk. However, it was too late to back out now, and she had to get evidence to prove her suspicions.

"Now, what did you want to say to me?" Phocas asked pleasantly as the door closed behind them.

Amanda looked casually around the room before beginning. Phocas's room looked very much like Sarek and Amanda's quarters, down to the style of the table and the bookshelves on the wall. However, there were no tapestries on the walls. The only decorations that Amanda could see were paintings. If there were any tapestries, they would have to be in the bedroom, and there was no way that Amanda would go in there, certainly not with Phocas there.

Phocas was waiting for Amanda to answer his question. Still standing, Amanda rested her hands on the back of one of the chairs at the table and considered what she was going to say.

"I . . . I wanted to ask you for your honest opinion about the negotiations," Amanda said. "I can tell that my husband is concerned about the direction they have taken, and there are rumors in the palace that they will end soon."

Phocas chuckled. "Such a topic hardly requires privacy. It is common knowledge that the king is considering ending the negotiations."

Amanda wished that she could think of some excuse to get Phocas out of the room for a moment. She couldn't look around or learn much with him standing there.

"Is there any particular reason why he would want to end the talks now?" Amanda asked, trying to keep the conversation going while she was thinking of what to do next.

Phocas shrugged. "He says that he is considering suspending them for a time so that he can consider the issues involved. I do not believe that the king really knows what he wants."

"You don't sound terribly concerned about it," Amanda observed.

"Why should I be concerned?" Phocas said easily. "Negotiations never really end, Lady Amanda. Issues are under discussion all the time, whether there are official negotiations or not. Terms are constantly being discussed and redefined. Alliances are formed and reformed. I'm sure you understand what I mean. The topic may be officially closed for now, but unofficially, the negotiations will still go on."

As Amanda glanced downward, collecting her thoughts, something on the carpet next to the chair caught her eye. Something bright red and glinting. Amanda wondered how she could get a better look at it without Phocas noticing. She had to keep Phocas talking.

"So you mean that even though the king's official position on the issue may not be favorable, you feel more confident in his unofficial position?" Amanda asked.

"As I said, I don't believe that the king really knows what he wants, officially or otherwise," Phocas said. "However, as long as we can keep the issue alive, even outside of official talks, we may be able to persuade him to see things our way. As we always used to say as children, it isn't whether you win or lose, it's whether you keep playing the game."

"We have a similar saying on Earth," Amanda commented, not mentioning that the emphasis was on _how_ you play the game.

"I hope I've set your mind at ease," Phocas said, evidently about to end the conversation.

"You have given me much to think about," Amanda said. She turned as if she were about leave and purposely tripped against the chair.

"Oh!" she cried, kneeling down.

"Are you alright?" Phocas asked, coming toward her.

"I'm fine," Amanda said. "It's just my shoe. Wait a moment." Quickly, she scooped up the glinting red object and hid it in her hand while pretending to adjust her shoe.

"Let me help you up," Phocas said, reaching out to help her.

"Oh, that won't be necessary," Amanda said quickly.

She started to stand, but Phocas took hold of her hands and pulled her to her feet. His skin was just as cold and damp as she'd imagined. It even seemed a bit slimy. Amanda shuddered and started to pull away.

"Now, what's this?" Phocas asked, noticing her closed hand.

"That's nothing," Amanda said. "It's just my –"

She didn't get to finish because Phocas forced her hand open. Both of them looked at the red jewel resting on Amanda's palm. Amanda still didn't know exactly what it was, but Phocas apparently did. His pleasant tone and expression vanished immediately.

"Give that to me!" he demanded.

Amanda jerked free from his grasp and ran for the door. Phocas ran after and caught her just as she stepped into the hallway. The two of them struggled in the doorway as Phocas tried to pull Amanda back into the room.

"No!" Amanda cried, trying to break free.

"Give it to me!" Phocas demanded, twisting her wrist painfully.

Amanda cried out as Phocas tried to open her clenched fist.

"Amanda!" Sarek shouted. He was running down the corridor toward them, followed by two of his guards.

Phocas managed to pull the jewel from Amanda's grasp just as the others reached him. Amanda would have tried to grab it back, but Sarek snatched her away from Phocas and stepped between the two of them. The guards moved to restrain Phocas.

"What is the meaning of this?" Sarek asked in a quiet but dangerous tone, staring down the other ambassador.

From her position behind Sarek's back, she couldn't see the expression on his face. She guessed that it was probably as controlled as the tone of his voice, but Phocas must have seen the emotions behind Sarek's eyes because he was trembling.

Phocas began to stammer out an explanation. "I . . . I beg your pardon, Ambassador. Lady Amanda . . . she . . . she wanted to talk to me. She . . . she . . . she asked to talk to me in my quarters. I'm sorry to say that . . . that . . . her behavior . . . her behavior was . . ."

Amanda gasped indignantly. He was going to blame everything on her! He was trying to imply that she had done something inappropriate (or at least that she was about to) and that he was merely trying to restrain her!

Sarek didn't let him get any further with his explanation. In that same, low, dangerous voice, he said, "Leave my wife alone."

No other words were necessary. Sarek turned and took Amanda by the arm, leading her away from the scene. Sarek didn't ordinarily touch her when there were other people around to see it, but Amanda could feel his anger at Phocas for attacking her and his fear for her safety. She glanced back and saw the guards release Phocas. They began to follow Sarek and Amanda back to their quarters, leaving Phocas still quaking in the doorway.


	13. Illogical Choices

**Chapter 12: Illogical Choices**

". . . consider the dreadful nature of the suspicions you have entertained. What have you been judging from?"

- Henry Tilney in _Northanger Abbey_

The guards who were still standing outside of Sarek and Amanda's quarters were astonished to see Amanda arrive with Sarek since, to their knowledge, she had never left their rooms. They hid their confusion well, but Amanda was experienced with reading Vulcan emotions and could see the questioning looks in their eyes.

"Remain here," Sarek commanded the guards. All four of them took up positions by the door while Sarek led Amanda inside.

When they were alone, Sarek demanded, "Amanda, what were you doing in his quarters?"

Taking a deep breath, Amanda told him the whole story, from start to finish. Sarek was silent the entire time that she talked. He already knew about her seeing the lights, but until now he had believed that they were either products of her imagination or that she was only seeing guards. Amanda told him about the secret door behind the tapestry in their quarters, which was still propped open with a pile books. She continued explaining about the tangled love lives of the prince and princess, their secret meetings, and Ambassador Rennila's influence over the prince.

"It wasn't really until Prince Faridil's death that she had a hold over the royal family," Amanda explained. "He knew about her involvement with Prince Liron, but that kind of indiscretion was forgivable in a younger prince. As heir apparent, Prince Liron's embarrassing little affair became much more serious, and when I realized that there was a connection between Ambassador Rennila and Ambassador Phocas . . . well, I thought that they may have planned to get Prince Faridil out of the way so that they could persuade the royal family to favor them in negotiations. I thought that if I could look through Ambassador Phocas's quarters, I might find proof."

Sarek shook his head. "You should have confided your suspicions in me. The idea of such a scheme is illogical, Amanda. Although Ambassador Phocas was there at the time Prince Faridil died, his death really was an accident. There were several witnesses to the accident, including the prince and princess. Afterward, there was a thorough investigation, and the investigators found no traces of drugs or toxins in the prince's body and nothing wrong with his boat that would indicate tampering. Also, the prince's death occurred before the dilithium was discovered. At that time, Phocas would not have known that the Lareynians had anything so important to negotiate for."

Much as Amanda was embarrassed to admit it, Sarek had a point. She had forgotten that the dilithium discovery was much more recent than Prince Faridil's death. But, she couldn't stop until all of her suspicions were out in the open.

"But what if Phocas swam out to Prince Faridil's boat and killed him by forcing him into the water?" Amanda asked. "Would any investigation prove whether he'd done that?"

Sarek said, "I've spoken at length with Ambassador Morgan about the incident. He says that he and Andrew Betz were with Phocas, Gavos, Citlal, and the prince and princess at the time of Faridil's death. In fact, all of them were together, watching Faridil's progress from the shore, and they remained together until after his boat went over the waterfall. Prince Faridil's death was purely an accident, caused by his own overconfidence."

Rennila's words returned to Amanda's mind: "If he had had less pride, he would still be alive." Was that really all that she meant? That Phocas had told her that Faridil's death was caused by his own overconfidence and there was nothing more to it?

"When I was talking to Phocas in his quarters," Amanda said, "I didn't mention any of my suspicions to him. He only became angry and attacked me when I picked up a small, red jewel from the floor."

"A red jewel?" Sarek asked. "What kind of jewel?"

"I didn't get a good look at it," Amanda said. "Phocas tried to grab it from me right away."

"Where is it now?"

"Phocas has it. He took it from me just as you arrived."

"That is strange," Sarek said. "I have no explanation for his behavior. I will have to consider it."

Sarek glanced over at the door that was now only partially hidden by the tapestry. Opening the door wider, he peered into the darkness of the secret stairway. Amanda was about to offer him her flashlight so that he could have a better look when he picked up the stack of books and shut the door. He set the books on the table, glancing at the note Amanda had left for him with a raised eyebrow.

"Amanda, if you thought that exploring this hidden stairway was dangerous enough that you had to leave a note in case something happened to you, why did you do it?"

Inwardly, Amanda cringed. Although she had managed to justify her actions to herself, they weren't really logical, and she knew it.

"I wanted to know what was in the secret passage and where it led, and I didn't think it could wait."

"You didn't think it could wait, or you weren't willing to wait?" Sarek asked.

"I . . . I wasn't willing to wait," Amanda admitted, bracing herself for the lecture that she knew was coming. The worst part was knowing that she'd earned it.

"You have been too rash," Sarek said. "If something had happened to you in the secret passageway, I might not have found your note in time to help you. You were also too rash when you went to see Ambassador Phocas by yourself. Not only did you risk offending him if your suspicions became known, but if your suspicions had been correct, you would have been confronting a murderer all by yourself. I do not know what caused him to react so strongly to you finding that jewel in his room, but if he could do that because of a piece of jewelry, think what he would have done if you had found evidence of murder." Sarek's voice started to tighten with emotion, and he paused to reestablish control.

Amanda knew better than to ask Sarek if he was angry with her. Through that mental bond that all Vulcans share with their mates, she could sense that he had really just been worried about her. Since they had been married, Sarek had never once shouted at her, and to most people, his criticism would sound as unemotional as an academic lecture. However, Amanda could both hear and feel the emotions behind what he was saying, and she felt guilty whenever she caused him distress. Now, she was just embarrassed and worried that her rash actions had endangered his negotiations. What would Phocas tell everyone about the scene outside his quarters?

"What are you going to do now?" Amanda asked Sarek.

"I must speak to King Othniel about Ambassador Phocas," Sarek said. "If what you heard Ambassador Rennila and Prince Liron say to each other is true and Phocas is working with Rennila, the king must be informed. I do not know whether or not he will believe me. If Prince Liron admits to his affair with Rennila and confirms what she said, that would help. However, it will still be our word against theirs."

There was something else that Amanda had to ask. "Sarek, if you didn't believe that Prince Faridil's death was murder, what did you mean when you said that 'there may be reason to be suspicious' of the other ambassadors?"

Sarek sighed. "Perhaps I was not clear in my meaning at the time. I did not really expect any of the ambassadors to use physical violence nor did I believe that they already had. However, each of them has invested their best efforts in the negotiation, and the stakes are high. There was always the possibility that one of them might resort to violence. I was simply warning you to be cautious because your safety is too important to risk taking foolish chances."

"So I took some anyway," Amanda thought, feeling ashamed of herself.

Through their bond, Sarek could sense Amanda's feelings. He reached out to her with his fingers.

"You are safe now," he said. "That is what matters most. We'll find a way to deal with the rest."

Amanda brushed her fingers against his and gave him a small smile.

"I will ask one of the guards to stay in the sitting room and watch the door to the secret passage," Sarek said. "Although it looks like you are the only one who has used it for some time, there is no telling who else might know that it is there."

"I understand," Amanda said, "and I promise that I won't go anywhere at all until you come back."

She was resolved not to do anything else that might worry her husband or complicate the situation in the palace any further. Instead, she went back to work on her project, although she found it difficult to concentrate with the guard standing in the sitting room.

When Sarek returned, the two of them had a quiet dinner in their quarters. Sarek said very little about his discussion with the king, only that the king was looking into the situation and that he would hear more about it the next day. The two of them stayed in their quarters all evening, making notes and working on their respective projects until it was time for bed.

Lord Eustace was chasing her, wielding a sword. Amanda ran through the hallways, crying, trying to outrun him, and failing. No matter how hard she ran, she could hear the sound of his boots echoing behind her. She tripped on the carpet and fell. He was coming toward her, towering over her, there was no way she could escape . . .

"Amanda!"

A pair of strong hands grasped her. Amanda jerked awake and looked around. There wasn't much to see since the room was dark, but she knew instantly whose hands those were, and they didn't belong to Lord Eustace.

"I'm alright," she reassured her husband. Her heart was beating a little fast, but it would calm down soon, now that she knew it was all a dream. She rubbed her eyes and discovered, to her surprise, that there were tear tracks down her cheeks.

"You were crying in your sleep. Another nightmare?" Sarek asked gently.

"Yes," Amanda said, feeling a little guilty for waking Sarek after he had such a difficult day with negotiations, not to mention her own escapade. Maybe he was right to say that she should give up reading scary stories.

"Tell me about it," Sarek said, taking her in his arms.

That was a little unusual. Sarek typically wasted no time asking what her nightmares were about, simply reassuring her that dreams were illusions created by the brain as it sorted through events, experiences, and ideas while the body rested.

"Are you sure you want to hear about it, Sarek?" Amanda asked. "I know it will seem foolish . . ."

"Amanda," Sarek said firmly, "something is frightening you. I am your husband, and I want to know when something is troubling you. Now, tell me about your dream." He pulled her a little closer so that her head rested against his shoulder and waited quietly for her to speak.

Hesitantly, Amanda told him about her dream. As is usually the case, dreams that seemed frightening while she experienced them seemed pretty silly when she was awake. Amanda particularly felt silly telling Sarek what the dream was about, considering how foolish he thought those frightening stories were.

"So, this Lord Eustace is the villain of your novel, and he frightened you in

your dream?" Sarek asked.

"Yes," Amanda said, waiting for Sarek to tell her how ridiculous she was being.

"And there was no one there to help you?" Sarek asked.

"No, I was alone in the dream," Amanda said.

"But I'm here with you," Sarek pointed out. "Don't you think that I would protect you?"

"Of course," Amanda answered, surprised at the question.

Sarek gently had her lie back down, still holding her in his arms.

"Get some sleep," he told Amanda, caressing the side of her face. "I am here, and you will be safe."

As Amanda drifted off to sleep again, she found herself once more walking the halls of the old manor house, the ancient ancestral portraits looking scornfully down at her from the walls. Lord Eustace strode down the hallway toward her, brandishing his sword with an evil gleam in his eyes. Before he could reach her, however, a hand reached out and pinched the man's shoulder. He crumpled to the floor in a heap. The Sarek in Amanda's dreams came to stand beside her.

"I told you that I would protect you. Now, why don't you show me the rest of this house?" he said, holding out his fingers toward her.

Amanda reached out to him and said, "Let's see the gardens. I understand that they're quite lovely."

Amanda smiled peacefully in her sleep. Although it would have been harder to tell, Sarek might have smiled a little, too.


	14. The Day Prince Faridil Died

**Chapter 13: The Day Prince Faridil Died**

"Nay, if it is to be guess-work, let us all guess for ourselves. To be guided by second-hand conjecture is pitiful."

- Henry Tilney in _Northanger Abbey_

In the morning, Sarek was still beside Amanda when she woke up.

"Shouldn't you be getting ready for another session at the negotiations?" she asked, noting the time. It wasn't like Sarek to oversleep. A servant would be arriving with their breakfast soon, and he wasn't even dressed.

"There are no negotiations today," Sarek told her. "Last night, the king told me that he needed a day to speak with his son about Ambassador Rennila and to pursue his own inquiries. Doubtless, he will share the results of those inquiries with us later. However, I will be spending the day with you, and we have inquiries of our own to pursue."

"What do you mean?" Amanda asked.

"Last night, I sensed that you are still concerned about the issue of Prince Faridil's death," Sarek explained.

"I . . . I feel foolish for suspecting it was murder with no real evidence," Amanda said.

"However, the issue is still troubling you," Sarek said.

"I no longer believe that Faridil was murdered," Amanda said.

"Because of what I said?" Sarek asked.

"Yes," Amanda said. "If I had known all of that, I wouldn't have jumped to conclusions the way I did."

"Yet what I told you was second-hand information," Sarek said.

"I trust your intelligence and your logic, Sarek," Amanda said. "I'm sure that your facts are all correct and your conclusions are sound."

"Nevertheless, I have come to believe that I was incorrect to dismiss your concerns so quickly."

Confused, Amanda started to ask him what he meant, but Sarek quickly continued.

"It is not that I believe that Prince Faridil was murdered. I am satisfied that he was not. However, I believe that I have underestimated your need to fully understand the situation. Whether or not your conclusions were correct, they concerned a serious matter, and it is only natural that you would wish to understand all of the facts. My wish is to help you to fully understand the situation so that your mind may be at peace."

"But if you've already researched the circumstances of Faridil's death, wouldn't investigating further just be a waste of time?" Amanda asked.

"Not if it helps to end your nightmares," Sarek said.

"My nightmare last night was about the book I've been reading," Amanda said.

"I believe that there is a connection between the two of them in your mind," Sarek said. "Just as Lord Eustace was the villain in the book, Phocas is the villain of the scenario you envisioned for Prince Faridil's death. Once all of your doubts about the prince's death and Phocas's involvement have been resolved, I believe that your nightmares will end as well because you will be able to see for yourself that there is really no connection between the story in the book and what is happening in the palace. Phocas may be unscrupulous in his dealings with the Romulans, but that does not make him a murderer."

Amanda nodded slowly. Sarek was right about how she had been thinking about the situation in the palace, comparing it to what was happening in her book. She really had been thinking of Phocas in the role of Lord Eustace. Embarrassing as it was to admit that she'd allowed her imagination to get the better of her, she was relieved that Sarek understood.

Sarek knew Amanda better than anyone in the galaxy. He knew exactly why she'd done what she'd done, and although he was right to criticize her for acting without thinking it through properly, he still loved her. Even though he didn't actually say so any more than he would admit to being "upset" about something ("unsettled" or "disquieted" perhaps, but not "upset"), it was obvious in everything that he did, from providing guards to watch over her to putting up with her silly human eccentricities and runaway imagination. The memory of his solution to last night's nightmare brought a smile to her face. These were comforting thoughts, but Amanda still had one concern.

"I would like to know exactly what happened the day that Prince Faridil died. It might set my mind at ease. But I don't want to ask any more questions if it would hurt your cause in the negotiations. Well, such as the negotiations are at the moment."

"That will not be a problem," Sarek said. "You can hear about Prince Faridil's death from the same source I did, Ambassador Morgan. He witnessed the entire event, and as a friend, he will not mention our discussion to anyone."

The two of them dressed quickly and had breakfast under the gaze of the guard who was stationed by the secret door in the sitting room. It was not the same guard as the night before, but he stood there in the same motionless, expressionless way the other guard had. Amanda found it unnerving to have him standing there, watching them eat, but she tried to ignore it.

As soon as they were done eating, Sarek choose two of the guards stationed outside their quarters to accompany them on their visit to Ambassador Morgan.

Ambassador Morgan welcomed their visit. With the talks suspended, he and Andrew Betz had been left with plenty of time on their hands.

"When we first arrived, I was pretty confident about the outcome of the negotiations," Morgan confided to Sarek, "but with everything that's happened, I'm not sure where things are headed. Looks like we might end up going home empty-handed. I wouldn't mind so much if I weren't concerned that the Romulans might get the better of us."

"We can't give up yet," Betz protested. "I don't think that the royal family ever really wanted to deal with the Romulans. From what the king is saying now, he feels betrayed by the person who told the Romulans about the negotiations in the first place."

"Do they know who that is?" Amanda couldn't help but ask.

"Ambassador Rennila says that Prince Liron is the one who contacted her," Morgan said. "However, the prince says that it was someone else. The king didn't say who it was, but he obviously thinks it was one of the other negotiators. In other words, one of us. That's why he's suspended the talks, hoping to figure out who it is."

"I suspected the prince at first, too," Betz admitted, "but now I think that the king is right. Prince Liron may be a hot-head, but he's too close to his father to go behind his back on something like that. King Othniel was hoping to improve his relations with the Federation, and I don't think that Liron would try to ruin that intentionally."

Amanda was glad to hear him say that. It was a sign that he might have made up with Princess Desta. She was still hopeful that everything would work out between them.

"Morgan, my wife has something that she would like to ask you," Sarek said.

"What would you like to know?" Morgan asked with a gentle smile.

Amanda hesitated, but Sarek gave her an encouraging nod. This was about allowing her to get all of the answers she wanted, so he would let her guide the conversation.

"Queen Gennadia has been talking to me about her son, Faridil," Amanda explained. "I can tell that she is still very upset about his death, and I would like to know what happened the day he died. Sarek was telling me that you were there."

Morgan sighed. "Yes, I was there. So was Andrew, here. Several of us were staying at the palace to discuss a trade agreement with King Othniel. The issue really shouldn't have been that complicated. The minerals we were trading for weren't anything unusual, certainly nothing as rare as dilithium. Still, everyone seemed to be on edge. Petty arguments kept breaking out, and it took much longer for us to negotiate the agreement than it should have. The day that Prince Faridil died, we'd been here for a week, and that was about four days longer than we'd expected."

"What was everyone arguing about?" Amanda asked.

"Everything!" Morgan said, rolling his eyes. "The terms of the agreement were the least of the things everyone argued about. Personalities clashed, insults were traded, characters were maligned, professional qualifications were belittled, and whether or not anyone was shown the proper respect that was due to them was called into question. For such a simple mission, it was all getting surprisingly nasty. The odd thing, too, was that it was always difficult to figure out how any of the arguments got started. Toward the end, everyone was blaming everyone else."

"The queen said that Prince Faridil and Ambassador Citlal kept arguing with each other," Amanda said. "That surprises me. I thought that Ambassador Citlal was more mild-mannered than that."

"As I said, everyone was on edge," Morgan said. "People just weren't themselves. Citlal was particularly angry with Faridil because there were rumors that said Faridil had been making slurs against her people. He denied that he said anything of the kind, but from the moment she heard those rumors, she started jumping on him anytime he disagreed with her on anything."

"The day that Prince Faridil died, though, he was arguing with Ambassador Gavos the most," Betz volunteered.

"What were they arguing about?" Amanda asked.

"Several things," Betz said, "but mostly about athletic ability and whether or not Faridil should go boating that day. It wasn't the first time they'd had arguments like that, but that day, it was worse than usual."

Morgan said, "Ambassador Gavos has always been a difficult person to get along with. I think it's because he's such a perfectionist. He's too demanding, both of himself and others. I think that's why he and Prince Faridil tended to argue with each other. They were too much alike."

"Ambassador Gavos and Faridil did argue a lot," Andrew Betz said, "but then they seemed to put aside their problems and enjoy outdoor activities with each other. It was the one interest they both had in common, and it wasn't unusual for them to go hiking or boating together."

"That day, however, Gavos tried to talk Faridil out of going on the river," Morgan said. "Apparently, Gavos had agreed to go boating with him earlier but had the good sense to back out when he found out how dangerous the conditions were. Because of the rain the day before, the currents were much faster than usual. I suppose Faridil was angry with him for backing out, and that's why he didn't listen to Gavos when he tried to convince him not to go. I tried to help persuade him to wait, but he wouldn't listen to me, either. He just seemed to think that we were trying to insult him by saying that he couldn't handle the boat by himself."

"That was partly because of what Phocas kept saying," Betz said.

"What did Phocas say?" Amanda asked quickly with a glance at Sarek. Sarek leaned forward, interested to hear Betz's response.

"When Gavos first told Prince Faridil that he had decided not to go boating and tried to persuade him not to go as well, Phocas told Faridil that Gavos had been saying that Faridil's rowing skills were poor," Betz said.

"I don't remember that," Morgan said, frowning.

"It was right before you joined the conversation," Betz said. "I was listening to them because I was waiting for Desta . . . uh, I mean, the princess to arrive. Remember, she didn't get there until Faridil was already in the boat because she wanted to get her shawl from her room. While you were asking Gavos what was happening, Phocas told Faridil that Gavos was just mocking him because he knew that the prince was better at rowing than he was and he was afraid that Faridil would see how badly he would handle the faster current."

"I didn't know that he said that," Morgan said. "That would help explain why Faridil was so eager to prove himself by going out on the river in spite of our warnings."

"Phocas was also egging on Gavos," Betz said. "While you were talking to Faridil, he kept telling Gavos that the prince was a stubborn fool who was too conceited about his athletic ability to listen to reason."

"Unfortunately, there is some truth to that," Morgan said. "I feel badly, saying it now, but if he hadn't been so stubborn, he would be alive now."

"But Phocas goaded Gavos and Faridil in their argument," Amanda said thoughtfully.

"He does things like that sometimes," Morgan said with a shrug. "Remember the other night when Gavos and I were playing Gerlach? He kept cheering us both on, but it wasn't because he cared which of us won or lost. He was just trying to get on our nerves."

Amanda said, "So you don't blame him for what happened to Prince Faridil?"

Ambassador Morgan shook his head. "It wasn't really anyone's fault, except maybe Faridil's. He never really listened to anyone. He may have heard what we said to him about the conditions of the river, but he didn't take the time to understand the situation. He just assumed that he knew best and that he could handle everything. He was always rash, doing things without really thinking."

"He wasn't the only one," Amanda thought to herself, still embarrassed about her own rash actions. However, their comments about Phocas were starting to get her thinking again.

Aloud, Amanda asked, "Can you tell me what happened after the argument between Gavos and Faridil?"

Between the two of them, Morgan and Betz described how Faridil became irritated with their attempts to talk him out of his trip down the river. He stormed away from them and climbed into his boat. Just as he was pushing away from the dock, Desta arrived. The others told her about the condition of the river, and she got worried about Faridil's safety. Betz suggested that they all watch from the shore to see that he made it to his next docking point safely. When they realized that his boat was moving too fast and that he wasn't going to make it, Morgan used his communicator to call for help. A rescue crew was soon on its way, but before they arrived, Faridil's boat went over the falls. Desta screamed and fainted at the sight, and Betz carried her back to the palace in the company of her guards. Prince Liron ran to tell the king what had happened. Morgan gave orders to the rescue crew to search the river below the falls to find out whether Faridil had survived, although he knew there wasn't much hope for it. About two hours later, they found his body further downstream.

"The royal family was devastated, of course," Morgan said softly. "The king declared a day of mourning to be observed throughout the entire system. Some of us offered to put off our talks about the trade agreement for another time to give the royal family a chance to mourn, but the king insisted that we stay for the prince's memorial service and that we finish our talks afterward. We completed the trade agreement three days later. Everyone was in a somber mood, and the remainder of our discussion went quickly. Then, we all left the system."

"I see," Amanda said quietly. "Thank you for explaining it all to me. I think I understand the situation much better now."

Morgan nodded. "I know that the queen is still devastated by the loss of her son. What happened was a tragedy. However, I'm glad to see that the two of you have become friends. Perhaps talking about what happened with a sympathetic friend will help her to feel better."

"I hope so," Amanda said.

The four of them talked about more pleasant things for awhile until it was time for Sarek and Amanda to return to their own rooms for lunch. Ambassador Morgan invited them to have lunch with Betz and himself, but Sarek politely declined. Amanda was grateful because there were things that she wanted to discuss with Sarek alone.


	15. Truth in Fiction

**Chapter 14: Truth in Fiction**

"Oh! it is only a novel!" replies the young lady . . . or, in short, only some work in which the greatest powers of the mind are displayed, in which the most thorough knowledge of human nature, the happiest delineation of its varieties, the liveliest effusions of wit and humour are conveyed to the world in the best chosen language.

- _Northanger Abbey_

Over lunch, Sarek asked Amanda what she had thought of Morgan and Betz's account of Prince Faridil's accident.

Amanda silently toyed with the food on her plate while she tried to think of how to answer the question. It was an old habit that she had never been able to break even while living among logical Vulcans. Sarek had never tried to stop her from doing it even though he had once told Spock that it was unacceptable for him to do it.

"You must be honest with me, Amanda," Sarek urged her. "If you are still troubled about something, you must confide in me."

"I am troubled about they said about Ambassador Phocas," Amanda admitted.

"You mean the way he contributed to the argument between Gavos and Faridil?" Sarek asked.

"Yes," she said. "He seems to have a subtle way of manipulating others. Ambassador Morgan said that there was an unusual amount of arguments and discord at the last trade talks. Now, we have the unexpected arrival of the Romulans at these negotiations and more trouble. What I'm wondering is whether Phocas has been the problem all along. Morgan said that last time, even though there were plenty of arguments and nasty rumors going around, it was always difficult to tell who had started them. It could have been Phocas's subtle influence. He has a habit of goading other people into arguments or making them worse without getting directly involved himself. What has Phocas been asking for at the negotiations? Would he stand to gain something from discrediting or causing trouble among the other ambassadors?"

Sarek was thoughtful. "At the negotiations, he speaks very little," he said. "And often, when he speaks, he does tend to point out the faults of others or flaws in their arguments, usually in a subtle, back-handed way. I have heard him do this. However, his behavior could simply be natural rudeness with no more significance to it."

"But we know that he is the one who got the Romulans involved in the negotiations," Amanda pointed out.

"That is how it appears," Sarek agreed.

"And I can't help but think that Gavos and Morgan would have had an easier time talking to Prince Faridil the day he died if Phocas hadn't been saying things to make him more angry," Amanda said.

"You believe that Phocas was trying to make Faridil angry on purpose in order to cause him harm?"

To Amanda's relief, they were interrupted before she had a chance to answer the question. She knew that she would have to give a truthful answer sooner or later, but she was glad to have a little more time to think about it first.

The interruption came from Queen Gennadia, who had come to return Amanda's book. Both Sarek and Amanda stood when she entered the room, all smiles and enthusiasm. She greeted Sarek politely and then cheerfully began gushing to Amanda about what a wonderful story The Ghost of Grey Tower Heights was. Sarek did not leave the room, but he did move off to the side so that the two women could talk more easily.

Gennadia said, "It was so exciting that I just couldn't put it down! I'm amazed that you could lend it to me when you hadn't finished it yet yourself. I left your bookmark right where it was, and I have to say that you're in for a surprise in the next chapter."

Amanda didn't want to have to explain why she was no longer as enthusiastic about the story as she was before, so she just said, "I'm glad that you had the chance to read it before we have to leave."

Gennadia gave Amanda a small smile. "I know these talks haven't turned out as well as anyone had hoped, but they're not quite over yet. I still have high hopes that my husband will not cancel them completely. I've enjoyed having you here. It's been nice being able to talk with you."

"I've enjoying having you as a friend, too," Amanda said, smiling back.

"You don't have much of the book left," Gennadia said, handing it back to Amanda. "Why don't you finish it this afternoon so that we can talk about it this evening? I'm sure that by the end you'll be as surprised as I was."

After the queen left, Amanda regarded the book with mixed feelings. True, the book was partly responsible for getting her imagination set on finding murderers and conspirators in the first place, but she was curious to know how the story ended.

To her surprise, Sarek not only urged her to follow the queen's suggestion and finish the book that afternoon, but he also said that he wanted her to read the last part aloud to him.

"Why?" Amanda asked. "You haven't been following the story, so the ending wouldn't make much sense to you."

"You could tell me what has happened in the story up to now," Sarek suggested. "You've already told me a little about Lord Eustace. Tell me about the rest of the characters."

"But why do you want to know?" Amanda asked. "I know you never read these stories, and you think they're a bad influence on me. Now, I'm starting to think that you're right."

"This book has also been the source of your nightmares and suspicions about Prince Faridil's death," Sarek pointed out. "I am trying to understand why. If I understand the story, I could better reassure you, and when the story is finished, you will be able to put it out of your mind once and for all."

Amanda had to admit that it sounded logical.

After explaining the story and the characters to Sarek, Amanda read the last chapters of the book aloud. Some of what she had suspected all along was true. Cecily's father had indeed been the true heir to Grey Tower Heights, but after his brother, Romilda's father, had murdered their father, he had fled to another area of the country so he would not become a victim himself. The papers in Romilda's trunk revealed the truth of the brothers' inheritance and the existence of a third, younger brother named William who had once loved Romilda's mother. It was the face of this third brother that Cecily had seen at the window, mistaking it for the ghost of her father. Upon hearing that both of his brothers were dead, he had come to see about the welfare of his two nieces.

Lord Eustace had been a friend of Romilda's father and the only person who knew that he had committed murder to inherit the family estate. When he died and left Lord Eustace as the guardian of his daughter, Lord Eustace saw his chance to take the family's fortune for his own. Knowing that Cecily was the first in line for the fortune since her father had been the true heir all along, Lord Eustace thought that he might control it by marrying her. When he realized that wouldn't work, he decided to kill Cecily so that Romilda would inherit from her. Romilda had always been more easily intimidated by Lord Eustace, so he knew that he would be able to control her and her money.

Fortunately, Uncle William teamed up with Prosper and Amelia's brother, Edmund, to stop him before he could shove Cecily from the top of the tower at Grey Tower Heights and force Romilda to go through with his wedding plans. With Lord Eustace sent to prison, both girls were under the guardianship of their kind new-found uncle, who gave his blessing for Cecily and Prosper's engagement. Romilda was happier and far nicer now than she had ever been, and she seemed to be developing a crush on Edmund. Things had generally worked out happily for everyone.

However, there was something that left Amanda a little . . . unsettled. Sarek could see it in her eyes and hear it in her voice as she read the last lines of the book aloud.

"You are not satisfied with the ending, Amanda?" he asked.

"It was the way everyone was talking about Lord Eustace," Amanda said. "They all talked about how charming he had been, how he had outwardly put on a show of taking care of Romilda and being in love with Cecily while all along only scheming to get their money and making every suspicious 'accident' look like someone else's fault."

"I suspect that you are still thinking of Ambassador Phocas and Prince Faridil," Sarek said. "You never told me whether you believe that Phocas purposely tried to make Faridil angry."

"I . . . I believe that he did," Amanda said. "I know that there is no definite proof that he did, but it fits with his character. Like Lord Eustace, Phocas is the kind of person who likes to stir up trouble just to cause confusion and manipulate people for his own advantage. I think that Phocas knew exactly what he was doing when he made the argument between Gavos and Faridil worse. He knew that Faridil's pride would force him to continue with his boating plans in spite of the danger."

"Then you still believe that Prince Faridil's death was murder?" Sarek asked.

Amanda hesitated. "Logically, he couldn't have known for sure that Faridil would die. The others could have managed to convince him of the danger, or he could have decided to abandon the boating idea on his own. Phocas might not have even meant for the prince to die, but he is in the habit of playing on the feelings of others for his own amusement. Whether he was trying to get Faridil killed or not, I believe that he is ultimately to blame for the accident because he set Faridil up for it."

Amanda expected Sarek to tell her that her imagination was running away with her again, but he didn't.

Instead, he said, "I believe that you are correct."

"You do?" Amanda asked in amazement.

"Yes," Sarek said. "I did not know about what Phocas said to Prince Faridil that day until Andrew Betz told us today. When I spoke with Amassador Morgan about Prince Faridil before, Betz was not present. Now, having heard what Phocas did and having seen him taunting others in a similar way, I believe that your assessment of the situation is correct. Phocas may not be guilty of intentionally murdering Faridil, but he did influence Faridil so that he put himself in a dangerous situation that led to his death."

They both considered the situation.

"What do you think we should do now?" Amanda asked finally. "Should we tell anyone?"

"No," Sarek said. "As you said, there is no proof of what he said or did, only Betz's word. We must also not make the mistake of blaming only Phocas for what happened. He had some responsibility for influencing Faridil, but if Faridil had considered the situation logically, he would not have allowed Phocas's taunts to influence him."

"So Faridil's pride killed him after all," Amanda said. "It still bothers me that Phocas will never be punished for his role in the incident."

"There is no logic in vengeance, Amanda," Sarek said. "It would be better for you to look after yourself and stay away from Phocas. It is a shame that Phocas has continued his manipulative behavior, but like Lord Eustace, it is likely that he will eventually be caught. Then, he will face his punishment."

"Are you comparing Phocas to Lord Eustace, too?" Amanda asked in surprise.

"Sometimes, there is truth is fiction," Sarek admitted. "Behavior is guided by character, and just as Lord Eustace did in the story, Phocas will continue to behave in the same way he has been, pursuing his goals in the same manner he always does until something forces him to stop.

"I just hope no one else will be hurt before that happens," Amanda said, hugging herself.

"I know," Sarek said gently. "Tonight, we will learn whether King Othniel has managed to prove that Phocas is involved with Ambassador Rennila."

* * *

Author's Note: There is a poll on my profile page about whether or not I should write out the story of The Ghost of Grey Tower Heights. If you want to give your opinion, the poll will be open through March 2013.


	16. The Red Jewel

**Chapter 15: The Red Jewel**

"Come, shall I make you understand each other, or leave you to puzzle out an explanation as you can?"

- Henry Tilney in _Northanger Abbey_

When Amanda and Sarek entered the dining room, they discovered that the seating arrangements had changed yet again. The royal family all sat together at one end of the table with their guests at the other. Amanda sat next to Sarek, as usual, but cringed slightly to find Ambassador Rennila sitting on her other side. However, Rennila was not in any mood for conversation. None of the ambassadors were. Everyone was on pins and needles, waiting to hear what the king had to say about the negotiations.

The king seemed determined to make them all wait, which Amanda feared was a sign that whatever he had to say would upset everyone and that he was waiting to say it because he didn't want to spoil their dinner. Much as everyone wanted to demand immediate answers from him, no one did for fear of making him angry.

King Othniel was as fidgety as everyone else. Toward the end of the meal, Amanda started to suspect that another reason the king was delaying his announcement was because he didn't like what he was about to say and was hoping that something would happen which would change the situation.

Since no one was interested in making conversation, Amanda stole a few curious glances at Ambassador Rennila. The dress Rennila was wearing was different from the one she wore the day she stormed into the royal family's reception but no less dramatic. That dress had been entirely black, and this one was mostly white with red accents. Rennila was wearing the same jewelry that she wore the day she arrived, but Amanda thought that the dress she wore now suited the jewelry much better. Those red gems didn't really stand out against the black of the dress she wore before.

"The jewelry!" Amanda suddenly thought, glancing quickly back at the Romulan ambassador. The jewels in her necklace were the same size, shape, and color as the jewel Amanda had found in Phocas's room. In fact, now that she looked more closely, Amanda could see that the necklace had an empty setting where it was missing a jewel.

"Why are you staring at me?" Rennila asked, noticing the strange look Amanda was giving her.

"I'm sorry," Amanda said. "I don't mean to stare. I was just admiring your necklace."

Sarek, sensing Amanda's sudden uneasiness, looked in their direction.

"Sarek, don't you think that her necklace is lovely?" Amanda said. "It has such pretty _red jewels_."

"Indeed," Sarek said, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, but it looks like one is missing," Amanda continued.

"Yes, but I shall soon have it repaired," Rennila said smoothly.

"Do you have any idea where you lost it?" Amanda asked.

"No, but it does not matter," Rennila said, sounding bored. "I do not think it will be difficult to find a replacement.

Amanda turned to Sarek to see if he understood the significance of the jewel. He hadn't seen the other one, but Amanda hoped he'd remember her description of it. If Rennila hadn't been able to fix the necklace yet, Phocas might still have the jewel she'd lost in his room, and they could use it to prove the connection between the two of them.

Sarek gave Amanda a slight nod and lightly touched the back of her hand with his fingertips. Amanda knew that he wanted her to be still, not say anything more, and wait. Easier said than done. Amanda wanted to know what he was going to do. If they waited too long, Phocas would get rid of the jewel. Perhaps he already had.

Sarek turned and gestured to one of his guards. When the man approached, Sarek whispered something to him in a voice too low for anyone else to hear. The guard nodded and left the room. Sarek turned his attention back to his meal.

Amanda was practically itching to know what Sarek had said to the guard, but Sarek gave her a small look, reminding her to wait and see what would happen next. At first, it didn't seem like anything was happening, but then one of the king's guards entered the room and whispered something to the king. King Othniel perked up almost immediately. Hurriedly, he whispered something back to the guard. As the guard rushed off again, the king cheerfully announced that dessert would be brought in soon.

The uneasiness and anticipation in the room changed bewilderment as everyone watched the little exchange between the king and his guard. Sarek had set something in motion, and now Amanda thought she knew what it was. Any moment now, the guard would return from Phocas's room with the jewel. Amanda was looking forward to seeing the look on Phocas's face when that happened. He was already looking a little nervous.

Unfortunately, when the guard returned, he didn't look very happy. He whispered something to the king, and the king's earlier dark mood returned. Amanda looked at Sarek, and Sarek's gaze drifted thoughtfully to Phocas. The king was also looking in his direction, not happily.

Amanda knew what they must be thinking. If the jewel wasn't in his quarters, he must have it with him. Searching him would be difficult, though. After all, he was still an ambassador and a search would be considered an insult, especially if they didn't find anything. Yet, if he left the room, he could easily get rid of the jewel. If Phocas was smart, he'd give the jewel back to Rennila as soon as possible. Then, there would be nothing to tie him to her, and he could make Sarek look bad for casting suspicion on him.

An idea was forming in Amanda's mind, but she would need help to carry it out. She leaned toward Sarek and whispered something to him.

Ambassador Rennila, noticing all the whispering going on, used that time-honored technique known to teachers all over the galaxy and said loudly, "Is there something you would like to say to us, Lady Amanda?"

However, Sarek answered for her. "My wife has been feeling poorly and must return to our quarters. Please, excuse us."

"If she requires a physician . . ." King Othniel started to say, rising from his seat.

"Thank you, Your Majesty, but that will not be necessary. I believe that my wife would benefit most from resting."

Queen Gennadia looked worriedly at Amanda, and Amanda gave her a small smile to let her know that she was going to be alright.

"Perhaps you could join us later in the library," the king said. "I have something very important to say, and I would like everyone to hear it."

"I will be there, Your Majesty," Sarek said, helping Amanda out of her chair and leading her from the room.

Once the dining room door closed behind them, Amanda said, "You lied to the king!"

"No," Sarek said. "You have been feeling poorly, worrying about the situation in the palace, and we are returning to our quarters. It would be good for you to rest."

"But there is something we need to do first," Amanda insisted.

"I understand," Sarek said. "I will take care of it."

Ambassador Rennila paced back and forth in the small blue sitting room while she waited. King Othniel had specifically requested to speak with her before meeting with the others in the library, and she couldn't understand what was taking him so long. When she heard the door start to open, she immediately took a seat in a comfortable armchair, trying to look as if she had been lounging there casually the entire time.

As the king stepped into the room, she rose gracefully from her seat and greeted him.

"Please, sit down," King Othniel said. "This will not take long, but we may as well be comfortable. Most of what I have to say will not be news to you. My son and I have spent much of today talking about you."

"Then you know what Liron and I have meant to each other," Rennila said smoothly.

"Yes, I think I understand, now," King Othniel said. "My son was naïve and foolishly romantic. You, on the other hand, were more opportunistic. While he made the mistake of becoming involved with a woman without really knowing her, you knew exactly who he was and saw how you could use him."

"I'd be careful with these suppositions, Your Majesty," Rennila said, "unless you want everyone to know what was between Liron and myself."

King Othniel smiled thinly. "That threat could go both ways, Rennila. I don't suppose you told your superiors about your affair with Liron, did you? What did you say? How did you convince them that you could sway the negotiations in your favor?"

At first, Rennila looked uncomfortable, but then she smiled and said, "I simply told them that I had influential friends."

"My son and whoever told you that the negotiations were taking place."

"I told you that I learned about the negotiations from Liron."

"I don't believe that," King Othniel said, "but it is no matter. Your part in the negotiations is over. You will leave tomorrow morning, and you can tell your government that you will no longer be welcome here."

"Careful," Rennila said in a darker tone. "That might put the treaty between our people in jeopardy. You wouldn't want to endanger your colonies, would you?"

"I did not say that we would not accept other Romulan ambassadors," King Othniel said. "Naturally, we would like to maintain our friendship with your people. It is only you who will no longer be welcome here."

"And if I tell my superiors the reason?" Rennila asked.

"Then you would be as embarrassed as my son would be. Or do your superiors normally expect you to have affairs with representatives of other governments?"

Rennila ignored the comment and said, "Your rejection of me would still be considered an insult to my people."

"I think that your people might be soothed somewhat when I make it known that we are willing to conduct some trade in dilithium with Romulus, but not as much as we might have if they had sent a more competent negotiator."

Now, Rennila was practically boiling mad. Her face flushed an interesting shade of green.

"You fool . . ."

"You are the fool," King Othniel said. "You are obviously capable of using sweet words since you managed to charm my son when you two first met. If you had tried to be more friendly here instead of using blackmail, you might have gotten farther. Now, I want you gone first thing in the morning. Don't bother coming to the meeting in the library. One of my announcements will be that you are leaving."

With that, the king turned and left the room.

Rennila angrily slammed her fist against the arm of her chair. It didn't make any difference to the arm of the chair because it was well-padded, but she had to do something to relieve her feelings.

"Ambassador Rennila? Are you alone?"

Hearing someone call her name, Rennila looked up and saw Phocas poke his head in the door.

"Oh, it's you," she said, glowering at him. "What do you want?"

"I came to return this to you," Phocas said, offering her the red jewel in his hand. "I found it in my quarters. I believe that you lost it when you came to see me the other day."

Rennila took the jewel from his hand, but instead of thanking him, she said, "Do you know what the king just said to me?"

"No. What did he say?" Phocas asked.

"He just told me that he wants me to leave in the morning!"

Phocas shook his head. "That is a shame. I know you had high hopes . . ."

"Raised by you!" Rennila said hotly. "You said that with my connection to Liron, it would all be simple, that between the two of us, we could easily take over the negotiations."

"Yes, I hoped that . . ."

"Some help you were! All through the negotiations, you urged me to keep working on Liron and while you would influence the king to look favorably on the terms that you and I agreed upon."

"I did my best . . ."

"You didn't do enough! All this time, I haven't heard a word of support from you. You were only in it for yourself, weren't you?"

"Ambassador, I assure you . . ."

"I'm not interested in your assurances. I think I've heard enough of those."

"I think we've all heard enough," another voice said from across the room.

Rennila and Phocas turned to see Queen Gennadia standing next to an old tapestry hanging on the wall. One side of the tapestry was held away from the wall by something behind it, and other faces were peering around the edge of it. A couple of guards stepped into the room, followed by the king.

"I arrived in time to hear the last part, but I trust you heard the beginning of the conversation, Gennadia?" King Othniel said.

"I heard every word," the queen said. "And so did Desta and my friends."

The princess stepped out from her hiding place in the passage behind the tapestry with Amanda following her.

When Phocas spotted Amanda, he glared at her. "You . . ." he started to say but stopped when Sarek came into view.

Sarek stood beside his wife and kept his gaze calmly but firmly fixed on Phocas.

"He gave her back the jewel she lost when she met with him in his quarters," Queen Gennadia said, "and their conversation confirms that they've been working together the entire time."

"Not as together as I'd first thought," Rennila said, glaring at Phocas.

"Ambassador Phocas," King Othniel said, "when you were invited to these negotiations, I made it plain that I wanted these talks kept confidential. Yet you deliberately spread news of the negotiations, bringing uninvited guests, and worked to ruin Lareynia's relations with both Romulus and the Federation. You will leave here _tonight_ and tell your people that you are no longer allowed to enter this system again."

For once in his life, Phocas was speechless as the guards escorted him out of the palace to the ship that would take him home. Amanda looked at Sarek and smiled a little. She had a feeling that the negotiations would go much more smoothly now.


	17. On the Way Home

**Chapter 16: On the Way Home**

"You know what you ought to do. Clear your character handsomely before her. Tell her that you think very highly of the understanding of women."

- Eleanor Tilney in _Northanger Abbey_ to her brother Henry, after he teases her and Catherine Morland

"Miss Morland, I think very highly of the understanding of all the women in the world – especially of those – whoever they may be – with whom I happen to be in company."

- Henry Tilney in _Northanger Abbey_ (This is a direct answer to the quote above. He's still teasing them and goes on to tease them more.)

Amanda was right. After the scene with Rennila and Phocas in the blue sitting room, everyone met in the library, where the king announced the departure of Phocas and Rennila and the continuation of the negotiations. Everything went much more smoothly now that the two chief troublemakers were gone. In two days' time, the remaining ambassadors managed to work out an agreement which satisfied them all.

Amanda was surprised and a little unhappy that the king was going to give the Romulans any dilithium at all, even the small amount he offered them. However, Sarek pointed out that it was a small price to pay for continued peace with the Romulans and that the final agreement overwhelmingly favored the Federation and its allies. The Minali were completely excluded from the final agreement, and Sarek predicted that they would face trouble from the Romulans for a long time to come. Phocas was certainly going to have a lot of explaining to do when he reached his home planet.

Prince Liron, having been forgiven by his father for his foolish behavior, had been an eager participant in the final negotiations. Sarek later told Amanda that the young man was bright and thoughtful and showed considerable promise as a negotiator. Queen Gennadia said that she believed that he had learned some valuable lessons about dealing with people from his experiences with Rennila and that he would be more careful in choosing who to trust in the future.

Queen Gennadia spent much of the time while the negotiations were finalized visiting with Amanda. She and Amanda talked briefly about the ending of The Ghost of Grey Tower Heights. However, most of their conversation was about Phocas and Rennila.

"I'm so glad that you suggested hiding in the secret passage and spying on them," Gennadia said. "How did you know that Phocas would try to give the jewel back to her then?"

"I just thought that he would want to get rid of it as soon as he could," Amanda said. "He knew that I'd seen it. Even if I hadn't realized that it was Rennila's, he knew that I would probably tell others about it, and sooner or later, someone would make the connection. Phocas knew that King Othniel would be angry with him for bringing Rennila here, and if he could give the jewel back to Rennila, it would be more difficult to connect him with her."

"I still don't understand why he wanted to bring the Romulans into the negotiations at all," Gennadia said.

"Well, he could have been hoping to set the Romulans and the other ambassadors against each other so badly that he could get the king to favor his people over all the others," Amanda suggested. "Although, Sarek's theory is that he was hoping all along that the negotiations would be cancelled so that his people could engage in illegal mining in this system before any official trade agreements were put in place."

"I'm glad we've seen the last of them," Gennadia said, "but spying on them and catching them was exciting! For a moment, I felt like a heroine in a novel."

"I know what you mean," Amanda said. "However, I think I've had enough of novels for now."

"Intrigue in real life isn't the same as intrigue in stories, is it?" Gennadia said. "But the stories still have their appeal, and I'm sure that, eventually, you'll want to lose yourself in one of them again."

"Just not right away," Amanda said. "I've still got work to finish, and then we'll see."

When the negotiations were finally complete and it was time for everyone to leave, Gennadia was sorry to see Amanda go and invited her to come back and visit when she was able.

Andrew Betz, on the other hand, was not leaving at all. Immediately after the trade agreement was finalized, he publicly announced that he would be resigning his position with Ambassador Morgan and returning to civilian life so that he could ask Princess Desta to marry him. From the cheerful mood of the king and queen, Amanda thought that it was likely that they would approve. Ambassador Morgan said that he would be sorry to lose Betz but that he understood the situation completely and even envied him a little. Princess Desta gave Amanda a big hug and thanked her for her earlier advice.

"You were right!" Desta said enthusiastically. "Everything worked out just like you said it would."

Sarek raised an eyebrow at her, and Amanda smiled.

"I'm very happy for you both," Amanda told Desta.

In their quarters back on the T'Vel, Amanda sat back and rubbed her eyes. She had been working steadily since their ship had left Lareynia several hours ago, and her project was nearly complete. Even after all the distractions, she would be finished well before their ship returned to Vulcan. She pushed back her chair and stretched, glancing over at Sarek to see what he was doing.

To her astonishment, Sarek was studying the other gothic novels that she had brought with her on the trip.

When he saw her looking at him, he asked, "How is your project, Amanda?"

"I'm almost finished," she said, "but why are you reading those? They have no intellectual value, and we've proven that they feed my overactive imagination."

"I am considering the character studies in these stories," Sarek said, leafing through the pages of one of the books. "The stories are not logical. The characters are not logical. Yet, they did provide you with some fascinating insights into the characters of the people on Lareynia."

"Insights?" Amanda asked.

"Although I still disapprove of the way you conducted your investigation, you did correctly identify the villain of the conspiracy in the palace," Sarek said.

"I was wrong about the nature of the conspiracy, though. I believed that Phocas was a murderer, but that wasn't completely true," Amanda said.

"Nevertheless, you were correct about the unethical nature of his character and that he bore some responsibility for Faridil's accident," Sarek said. "It also seems that you were correct in predicting the marriage of Andrew Betz and Princess Desta."

"That wasn't because of the book I was reading," Amanda said, standing up and going to her husband. "Princess Desta talked to me about her feelings, and well, I have some experience in those."

Perching on the arm of his chair, Amanda held out her fingers to Sarek, and he brushed his against hers.

"I believe that I may have underestimated your instincts and your understanding of the situation," Sarek continued. "Since we both have some time on our hands, I thought we might investigate these other novels to see what insights they might contain."

"Do you mean that you no longer believe that they are a bad influence?"

"Only in that they led you to investigate a dangerous situation on your own," Sarek said, a stern note in his voice. "I want you to trust in me and confide your concerns to me, no matter what they might be or whether you think I might disapprove of them. I would prefer to take the time to hear your concerns and reassure you than to leave you troubled and possibly in danger."

"I'm sorry, Sarek," Amanda said gently.

Sarek continued running his fingers lightly across hers. "You can always talk to me about anything. Even though I might not understand, at least at first, I will do everything I can to help you and keep you safe."

"I promise," Amanda said.

"And if you enjoy these stories, it is only logical that we read them together so that we can discuss them," Sarek said with a small smile. "I would like to understand these stories better, and some experiences can be more enjoyable and less frightening when they are shared."

"That's true. I'd like to share these with you," Amanda said. She always liked it when Sarek found logical reasons to do less-than-logical things just because he knew that she'd enjoy it. "Where would you like to start?"

"Perhaps this one?" Sarek held up a book with a green cover. The name of the book was A Haunting at Castleton Court.

"It looks like a good one to me," Amanda said.

With no duties weighing on their minds and no one to interrupt them in their quiet quarters, Amanda took the book and began to read it aloud:

_"She ran down the stone path, heedless of the stormy night. The wind whipped her hair, and the rain drenched her long, silken gown. Lightning streaked across the sky overhead and lit up the path before her. She glanced behind her, but there was no one in pursuit. She had successfully made her escape._

_Needing shelter from the storm, she made her way down to the summer house. Her fingers fumbled at the cold metal of the door latch. Inside at last, she gave a sigh of relief._

_Then, a figure stepped out of the darkness, and a pair of hands seized her._

_With a cry, she tried to pull away, but the unknown figure pulled her closer._

_'Amanda!' the figure protested. 'Amanda, darling, it's me! You're safe!'_

_Recognizing the voice of her lover, she collapsed into his arms. Finally alone for the first time since Amanda had arrived at Castleton Court, the two of them shared a long kiss."_

Amanda stopped reading and looked questioningly at Sarek. He looked back at her with that small smile still on his face and a glint of humor in his eyes. Of course, he'd known the name of the heroine when he'd selected that book.

"I was correct," he said, reaching out and pulling Amanda into his arms. "These stories do contain helpful insights."

"Very helpful and very insightful," Amanda murmured before kissing him.

The End


End file.
